Sourdough Starter
Sourdough Starter

When I was a child we lived in Alaska for five years.  Sourdough was very popular there and Mom made sourdough bread and pancakes.  I loved them. All sourdoughs require a sourdough starter that you can buy or you can make your own.  There are two ways to make your own starter, one uses yeasts that are in the flour and the air and the other uses store bought yeast.  Store bought is easy but it doesn't have a lot of that funky sourdough taste.   The ld fashioned way takes a whole week but you get the real funky sourdough taste.  Here's both ways.


Easy But Less Taste Way

2 cups
 		all purpose flour

2 cups

warm water (not chlorinated water)

1 package

yeast

Mix the flour water and yeast and put in a plastic, glass, or pottery bowl. Cover the starter loosely with plastic wrap and put it in the oven. Turn the oven light on to keep the oven warm. Leave this overnight. In the morning it should be bubbling slowly. Put 1 cup of starter in a clean crock, seal it and put it the back of the refrigerator. Use the rest for pancakes or bread.

Use glass or pottery crock to hold the starter. (Pottery is best because it doesn’t transmit light) The starter should only contain flour, water, and yeast. Never sugar. It can be kept in the refrigerator for many months but will separate. If this happens, stir the starter with a stainless steel spoon (never use any kind of metal other than stainless steel). It should have a slight, clean, sour milk odor. If it smells bad throw it out.

More Involved But More Funky Sourdough Taste Way

4 cups
 		all purpose flour

4 cups

warm water (not chlorinated water)

Mix 1 cup of warm water and 1 cup of flour in a plastic, glass, or pottery bowl.  Stir well.  Cover the starter loosely with plastic wrap and put it in the oven. Turn the oven light on to keep the oven warm. Leave this overnight.  In the morning add a half cup of flour and warm water and stir will.  Cover it and put it in the oven again.  Repeat this each day for five more days.  It may not do anything for the first couple of days but eventually it will start bubbling each time you add flour and water.   When the starter has developed a sour funky smell you can stop with the feeding.  Put 1 cup of starter in a clean crock, seal it and put it the back of the refrigerator. Use the rest for pancakes or bread.  

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