Marie,
The secret of all sourdough is the wild yeast it picks up. Just like some
cheeses can only naturally be made in certain areas, some sourdoughs can
only get a natural start in the area they're in. I have one I started
about 20 years ago and another I started about 3 years ago. I am only 25
miles from where I started the other sponge, but this one is decidedly
different tasting. Of course other things will affect the flavor too, what
you feed it (flours, different types of sugars), how it's stored (mine
takes a few weeks to get back to full flavor after being frozen a while),
how long you let it develop before using it. I doubt it's San Francisco's
water. If you want a true San Francisco sourdough, buy a packaged starter
from a San Francisco concern. I've seen some in mail order catalogues, but
be sure it's really from SF. But you might just let yours develop a while,
use some, feed it, repeat a few months worth and see how the flavor develops.
Bru
BruBro@erinet.com
Dayton, Ohio
The REAL birthplace of aviation.