>What grabbed me about this is that you say you keep your starter in
>a sealed jar.
The key is to keep it in a container with enough room to double or
triple its volume without leaking out of the container, where the
seal will give before the jar wall does, and also protect it from
drying out and other food odors in the fridge.
I have used several things with good success for this: canning jars
with metal lids work great; without the heat processing the rubber
ring won't seal tight enough to prevent the fermentation gasses from
escaping; a special ceramic crock with a wire-bail to hold the lid
down reasonably tightly; and my favorite that I use now, a 1 quart
ceramic jar purchased in a chinese market that has a 2-piece lid--an
inner and outer piece--that is quite easy to clean.
A simple bowl plus a plastic baggie with the loose end twisted not
too tightly and tucked under the bowl, or clipped with a clothespin,
works fine for rising and proofing doughs but is less sturdy for
long-term starter storage in the fridge.
--diane in los angeles
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