Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:28:22 GMT -------------- BEGIN bread-bakers.v108.n007 -------------- 001 - Roel Wyman Subject: Re: sourdough starter Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:47:42 -0500 Ed Wood's Sourdoughs International http://www.sourdo.com/ is an excellent source for several cultures. His book will also save you a lot of grief and experimentation as you get started. All available on his web site. Roel --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n007.2 --------------- From: Ellen Lee Subject: Sourdough starter Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:23:46 -0500 King Arthur's current starter is the best by far that I have used over 30-plus years of bread baking, but you seem to discount it by the "other than . . ." in your question. There are many powdered starters on the market, including Gold Rush purportedly made in California. There are a plethora of instructions on making your own starter; try Googling "sourdough starter" or check cookbooks that focus on bread. The easiest way to get starter is to request some from anyone who makes sourdough bread. I hate to throw away anything, so I much prefer giving away the starter that I otherwise discard when I feed the starter. Unfortunately, I live on the opposite side of the country or I would be pleased to give some to you. I know from experience that I can't mail it to you! Ellen --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n007.3 --------------- From: Mike Avery Subject: Re: Sour Dough Starter? Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:56:43 -0600 While I give advice on starting starters on the sourdoughhome web page, I also observe that starting a starter causes beginners more trouble than any other aspect of sourdough. Yes, as I have been told, anyone can start a starter. However, if you don't know what a starter should look like, or smell like; if you don't know how a good starter will handle, your chances of starting a good starter - and recognizing it for what it is - are very low. I get more upset emails on this topic than all other topics combined. As a result, I always suggest sourdough beginners get a known good starter from a reliable source. The best source is from a friend. You can get a fresh starter and just start using it. Nothing could be finer! The next best source is the Friends of Carl ( more information at http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/ ). Carl Griffiths had a starter that had been in his family since the mid 1800's. He gave it away to anyone who asked for it. After his passing, his friends took over his crusade, and still give away his starter. Contact information is on the web page. I suggest that people send the volunteers a few bucks to offset the cost of maintaining the starter. The starter is very active, very fast and flavorful. It is not, usually, a very sour starter which puts some people off. I have heard nothing but good things about Mr. Baker's San Francisco Sourdough Starter, available from the Yankee Grocer ( try http://www.yankeegrocer.com ). Sourdoughs International ( http://www.sourdo.com ) has a number of good starters. One starter I do not recommend is the Goldrush San Francisco Sourdough Starter. I tried it, a number of people I know have tried it. The most complimentary thing I have heard said is, "you can do better." If you insist on starting your own starter, check out my web page at http://www.sourdoughhome.com/startingastarter.html Despite this page causing more problems than any other page on my site, I have gotten many more, "WOW! It worked!" emails than complaints. The instructions are good, and they really, really work. Hope that helps, Mike Mike Avery mavery at mail dot otherwhen dot com part time baker http://www.sourdoughhome.com networking guru Skype mavery81230 wordsmith A Randomly Selected Thought For The Day: An alcoholic is a person who drinks more than his own physician. --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n007.4 --------------- From: irene@trilliumwoods.com Subject: Re: Making your own starter Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 07:07:34 -0800 There's a good video at Breadtopia that demonstrates making your own starter using whole wheat flour and unsweetened pineapple juice. The method is also described in Peter Reinhardt's latest book on baking with whole grains. Once you have a whole wheat starter, by feeding it with a different flour, you can move it to become a white starter, or a rye starter. Hope that helps. ~ irene --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n007.5 --------------- From: Ed Subject: Re: sourdough Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:40:58 -0800 I buy Gold Rush sourdough starter at the local store. Its website URL is www.mccornbread.com Ed Grants Pass, Oregon --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n007.6 --------------- From: bbnspike Subject: Reviving Dry Starter Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:01:46 -0800 (PST) **************************************** HOW TO REVIVE THE DRY START The Brochure available for download here is a historical document. It is a lightly edited version of the brochure that Carl sent out with starter. The instructions in the brochure work just as well as they always have. However, with the fresh start that we are sending out, we have found that potato starch, from potato water or dry granules, and sugar are not necessary to reconstitute the starter. Plain white flour and water will do just fine. Following is a method to revive the start that I like better than the one detailed in the brochure: Get a small container. Begin with one tablespoon of lukewarm water, stir in 1/2 teaspoon of your starter and let stand for a few minutes to soften the start granules. Then mix in one tablespoon of flour. Depending on the flour, you may need to add an additional teaspoon or two of water. You want the mixture to be like a thin pancake batter. When the mixture gets bubbly, put it in a little larger container. Then stir in 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of flour. When that mix rises up add 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of flour. When this bubbles up, you will have about one cup of very active starter that is ready for use or storage in your refrigerator. The time between refreshments will depend mainly on temperature. You can expect the first sign of starter activity to take from four to 12 hours. Tips: * I use the baby formula wrist test to judge the temperature of the water. A few drops on your wrist should feel neither warm nor cold. * A baby food jar and an 18-ounce peanut butter jar work well for the small and large containers. * Established starter will do fine in any room temperature that is comfortable for humans. Warmer room temperature is helpful when reviving start, but do not go over 85F if at all possible. Cooler temperatures just extend the time required. If room temperature is under 68F, I find a warmer spot such as the top of my refrigerator or a cold oven with the light on. * Vigorous stirring of the mixture from time to time will slightly shorten the time between growth stages, but is not necessary for success. I use this method to test start before shipping and just stir enough to mix the ingredients. Regarding the vinegar "kick", and the use of dry yeast in a few of the recipes Carl transcribed, we don't do it, but heck, it might work for you. Good luck with your sourdough, "Carlos" October 19, 2003 **************************************** Barb in Ocala, Florida --------------- MESSAGE bread-bakers.v108.n007.7 --------------- From: "Leon Schwering" Subject: Bread maker manuals - Proctor Silex 80139 Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:48:46 -0500 (EST) Can you help? I am looking for a Proctor Silex Model 80139 bread maker, type BM01. Does anyone have one? Thanks Leon Schwering 34 Yorkshire Cres. Whitby, ON L1R 1X8 Lschwering@look.ca --------------- END bread-bakers.v108.n007 --------------- Copyright (c) 1996-2008 Regina Dwork and Jeffrey Dwork All Rights Reserved