On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:26:02 -0800, BH
wrote:

Hi Burney,

Please see my comments inline below...

On Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:44:01 -0500, Kenneth
wrote:


Different starters can contain different critters, or, at
least, can have 'em in different proportions.

As a result, they eat (metabolize) the various nutrients in
the dough in different ways, and perhaps at different rates.
Once that happens, the resulting dough bakes differently.
One example of this that I have mentioned here in a
different context may be useful:

I have had two starters side-by-side in my refrigerator for
something like fifteen years. When I feed them (again,
side-by-side, and in exactly the same way) one of them
(ACME) always increases in volume more rapidly than does the
other (Poilâne.)

I've understood that as an expression of the rate of
metabolism of the two.

If I am not responding to the question you intended, please
say something more.

All the best,
Jim and Kenneth, thanks to both of you for your kind responses. I
think I understand both and I believe you are essentially saying the
same thing. I'll try to paraphrase to make sure I've got it.

If two good starters happened to contain the same species of critters
in the same proportions, and the starters were developed and the bread
fermented and baked with all potential variables kept constant, the
color and taste of the crust (and the bread) would be the same.

I would say that the situation above would be better
described as having one starter in two different containers
g.


BUT,
different "brands" of starters (Carl's and Acme, for example) do not
contain the same species of critters and the quanties of each species
is different. This would cause the starters to consume the nutrients
at different rates, resulting in less residual sugar, at baking time,
in the dough that had the faster acting combination of critters.
Again, if everything else were kept constant (handling, fermenting
times, temperature, etc.) this could result in the over-fermented
dough that Jim described - at least as compared to the dough with the
slower-acting starter.

Have I got it?

Yup...



I, also, maintain two starters, Carl's and one I got from a friend.
I've never tried to be very scientific about it, but I have noticed
that Carl's does "grow" much faster than the other.

I was certainly not doing anything very scientific. I happen
to have had two identical, small, plastic graduates. I just
weighed out the same amount of starter, flour, and water to
each, and then could easily (and quite accurately) see the
speed of volume increase.


I have had the
experience of getting a pale (ugly, actually) crust. This has
happened when I was distracted from making bread to other things. I
just always chalked the experience up to over-proofing. If I have
understand your explanations correctly, this helps me better
understand what happens in over-proofing. I think the solution to
over-proofing is still the same - pay attention to what I'm doing and
don't get distracted by other things!

Yes, but my take on the specifics would be this:

For the crust to brown properly, it needs to have sugar in
the dough.

If the critters have eaten too much of the sugar, there will
be little left to brown. That is what causes that
"yellowish" color we sometimes see.

I hope that you are having fun with all this...

All the best,
--
Kenneth

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