On 5 May 2002, Sue Hermosillo sagely commented:
> I had the same problems when I was trying to use the Gold Rush brand
> starter I bought at Whole Foods. About 2 months ago I bought the
> starter sold by King Arthur's and haven't had a failure yet, I've been
> using it once or twice a week for bread, pancakes or waffles. I've
> also passed it along to 2 friends, novice bread bakers, and it's been
> great for them, too.
The Gold Rush starter is, to be kind, junk. It has an unpleasant smell and
taste when freshly started, and it is very unstable. I was about ready to
give up on sourdough altogether when I was using that. Part of the problem
is that it isn't fresh enough when sold, but I don't think that's the whole
issue.
As a last ditch attempt to make sourdough work, I ordered Dr. Ed Wood's
Russian Starter and his first book on sourdough. Suddenly things made
sense, and, better yet, they worked.
The kindest thing I've heard anyone say about the Gold Rush starter is that
it's not their favorite.
Still, even with the Gold Rush, the key reasons for failure to rise are not
using a fully activated starter, and lack of patience.
Commercial bakers use their starters every day, so they are like athletes
in the prime condition. They're ready to run a marathon at the drop of a
hat. Most hobby bakers have a starter that is near death. It hasn't been
fed recently, and it's just hanging in there. Feeding it before use and
letting it revive is essential - the should be frothy and bubbly when you
use it, and there should be no doubt that it's alive.
The other issue, lack of patience, is also significant. Sourdough will take
longer to rise than commercial yeast. You need to learn its rhythms and
accommodate them. It sure won't speed up to make you happy.
I'm glad to hear the good report on the King Arthur starter.
Best wishes,
Mike
--
Mike Avery
MAvery@mail.otherwhen.com
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