On the subject of bread machines, while I was working at LeSaffre Yeast
Corp, I discovered that they are also the headquarters for the Bread
Machine Manufacturers' professional organization. So if you will call the
telephone number you find on the back of any package of Red Star Yeast or
SAF Yeast, and ask for someone to help you with bread machine problems,
they'll put you through to someone who can help you find out what you need
and where you need to go.
As for sourdough starters, you can buy them from Ed Wood's company, World
Sourdoughs, which can be found at www.sourdo.com. As for how to make them,
his book, "Classic Sourdoughs" is a good reference. If you want to start
from scratch and make a true, wild sourdough, I'd suggest getting a copy of
"Baking with Julia" by Julia Child, either buying it or borrowing it from
the library--though I'd say "buy it", because it is a truly GREAT book--she
tells you how to do it in minute and complete detail. One good thing about
Julia is that, if you do what she tells you, exactly AS she tells you,
you'll have great results, every time. I consider her to be one of my
heroes, she has taught me so much over the years. And Baking with Julia
has lots of other great lessons and recipes about all kinds of breads as
well as pastries and cakes and so much more. It's an expensive book but
worth every penny. I followed her instructions and turned out a levain
bread which was to die for. I also tried the mixed-starter bread--amazing
stuff! Her section on Brioche is one of the most brilliant expositions
I've ever read.
Susannah