It is sometimes months between refreshments for my starter. When I leave
it that long, it occasionally takes longer. When I see it is going to
revive slowly, I add a little more flour and water and leave it another
12-24 hours before adding more, continuing such small additions until it's
lively. My initial amounts are 3 parts water and 2 parts flour (I don't
like to keep a lot of starter in the frig or have to throw it out, so I
tailor the amount to my baking needs). If the starter doesn't revive on
the first addition, I add about 1/2 c. each water and flour for additional
additions. A friend told me he once left my starter unused a whole year
and it still made the best ever loaf of bread!
I also beat it vigorously now and then throughout the day to incorporate
more air into. I can't tell you why ... read about someone doing that. It
seems to help.
Lobo
"Steven Leof" <sleof.sln25@london.edu> wrote:
>I could use some advice from the experts. My rye starter has been dormant
>in a Kilner jar the fridge for the past four months and now after a hiatus
>I'm ready to bake 100% rye. But my starter isn't behaving as expected....
snip
>there has been no movement. Rather than refresh the starter now should I
>assume that the cultures have died? Or should I treat the starter as new
>and wait up to three days before the next refreshment?