re: neglecting the starter
My La Brea - type starter is about 6 years old and sometimes it sits in the
refrigerator for 2 months before I use it again. Several days before I want
to make bread, I start feeding it, and it makes fantastic bread. In fact,
inspired by the packet of powdered starter I once bought from Ed Wood
("Sourdoughs from Antiquity"), I've even smeared some of the starter on a
sheet of wax paper, let it dry out completely over several days, then saved
it in a dry place. Weeks later, I added the dried starter to a mixture of
flour and water. Result: a nice active starter, different but tasty.
Kathy Harsany