Since my long run on March 6, I’ve been recovering and trying to get caught up on life. Unfortunately, I did have a Lyme relapse, but it was manageable–and a sign that it’s just not time to stop fighting. I also, however, received a gift that has taken a bit of my time, another microscopic form of life that’s much nicer than Lyme spirochetes. I got a preview of the gift, a.k.a. my new pets, a week before the race when this showed up in my office mailbox:
Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s a huge half-loaf of homemade sourdough bread. You see, I had to attend a weekend conference back in February, but out of that loss of my weekend I got to talk with a colleague (a lot) on four long plane flights. We discovered that his wife and I share a love of baking. First came the bread. Then not quite two weeks ago I got the holy grail: her sourdough starter, now almost a quarter of a century old. Sourdough starter saves you from buying little packages of yeast, some with chemicals added. You can use it to make baked goods with all organic ingredients. Sourdough starter really is magic.
My benefactor sent with the starter her own sourdough recipe. It looked good (and I know it tasted good, because we’d gotten the first gift!) but used handmade proofing baskets and a 24-hour rising period. The starter also (apparently) needed to be fed once a day. Well, you know me. I can’t stand to throw stuff out, so I determined to test refrigerating the starter to delay feeding (which definitely works) and reduce how much starter I had and to use the starter in other ways. Since I got the starter, I’ve made several loaves of whole-grain bread, pancakes, and even pumpkin-chocolate chip muffins. Yes, the recipes will all follow, and I promise to post them with alternatives for making them without sourdough starter.
The votes are in! Whole-wheat sourdough and whole-wheat bread are now posted here. Next up will be pumpkin-chocolate chip bread!
Do you bake with sourdough? Did you create your own starter, or did you receive it as a gift? How long have you kept a sourdough starter going?
Copyright 2011 Ozarkhomesteader.
Mmmmmm! That loaf of bread looks incredibly delicious! I’ve never made sourdough bread, but would love to try it. I have made Friendship bread, which is a type of starter that is passed from person to person, and that was a lot of fun.
I had the “Amish” friendship bread starter once, but it was too sweet for me. What did you think about it? This one seems more versatile and easier to maintain.
Be sure to vote for the recipe you want first. 🙂
Yes, I found it very sweet too. This recipe sounds much more appealing. Oh, and I did vote for the whole wheat bread 🙂
I’ve been watching the votes with interest. It’s fun! Unless there’s an uprising for one of the other two, it looks like it’ll be the whole wheat bread first.
So…is there going to be another contest? I sure would love to win some bread starter 🙂
I’d love to give some away, G, but I’m not sure how it would travel at this time of year. How far away are you? Within a week, a truck ride through Arkansas could be deadly to those natural yeasties. Maybe in the fall? I guess we could always try it soon and if it died en route, well, we could have a little wake for it.
A quarter of a century old…that is magical! I’m glad you’re on the mend. I was worried when we weren’t hearing from you!
Thank you! I know I’m behind on everything, including reading your blog. I hope that you are feeling better. I keep thinking of you and hoping that your treatment is going as well as can be expected.
About 35 years ago, I used to keep a starter. With all the feeding and little time for baking (and only 2 people in the house to eat the baked goods), the volume of starter would get a little threatening. I discovered that sourdough starter is great for septic systems. Just flush some of the excess down the toilet and all those little organisms will keep a septic system healthy!
I’ll admit that I did let a little go, thinking how much our septic tank would like it, but for now I’m relying mostly on the refrigerator method. 🙂 I’m glad to hear that I was doing the septic system some good!
My mother always made sourdough bread and gave away starter. It’s something that I haven’t kept up with but I remember loving it as a child.
I don’t remember my grandmother making yeast bread that often. I assume that it was a Southern thing, with our soft wheat yielding better biscuits and rolls. How nice that your mother made sourdough, Tammy.
That bread looks gorgeous, I need a starter but unfortunately I am in the UK. Have found a source to buy some from a master baker, very expensive I think £20-£25, but I know I am going to have to bite the bullet real soon. Defintely have this urge to bake sourdough instead of my usual bread maker bread. Sorry to hear that you have had a bit of a relapse, hope you are soon well again.
Wow, 20 to 25 pounds, Wendy? That’s $40-50 with today’s exchange rates, isn’t it? I have started it before myself but never had much luck with it. Who knows; maybe I could take care of it now.
If I lived where you do, I’d be heading to Ballymaloe. Is sourdough on the list of short courses there?
Like you I have had several goes at making my own starter, in fact have wasted pounds of bread flour all to no avail which is why I am considering buying a proper (I hope successful) starter, this is also from an old source. We have gotten very much into real bread making over here with several artisan bakers doing courses would love to do one sometime.
I’ve already treated this starter in ways that I never could the ones that I began, and it’s stayed healthy, so I’m thinking getting an old starter might actually be worth it. Let me know how it turns out if you do get one!
Will certainly report back to you when and if I take the plunge – this is getting very close. Wendy.
I can’t wait to hear about it!
I’m glad to hear you’re doing okay.
I love baking with sourdough starter. My starter recently died after I managed to keep it going for over a year. I used it in everything, especially to replace buttermilk in recipes. I discovered that a bit of baking soda in the bread hid the sour taste, which DH didn’t like, so I could use it for bread as well as quick breads. I recently tried a second starter but lost that one too! I didn’t stir enough during the initial stages. 😦
My first starter was accidental, it had whey in it (flour was being soaked to reduce phytic acid), and that seemed to kick start it perfectly. Second didn’t have whey, so I think I’ll try again with and see what happens.
Thanks for the motivation!
You’re most welcome, and thank you for all the inspiration you give over at Five Acre Dream. 🙂 Hmmm. It never occurred to me that baking soda could cut the sour taste, but it should, shouldn’t it?
I’d bet it’s been twenty years since I tried starting my own sourdough, and it don’t go well. I’m so glad to have gotten this present.