On Sun, 4 Apr 2004 09:52:24 -0500, "Fred"
wrote:

My starter was made from a formula in my professional baking book so I
assume it worked for someone at some time before.

Hi Fred,

Your comment raised another thought:

Of course the starter technique described in the book may be great. I
would not suggest otherwise...

I do know though that more than in any other field in which I have
done some reading, baking "authors" seem to be baking "borrowers."

Here's what I mean:

One of the French baking classics is called "Special and Decorative
Breads" by Billheux, et. al. It is an encyclopedic two volume book
translated to English relatively recently.

I have a copy, and am quite familiar with the text.

Years after getting that set, I saw one of the Joe Ortiz books. As I
looked it over, it seemed more and more familiar.

Indeed, it was little more than a re-write of the Billheux book. It
had a few pleasant stories about Ortiz's experiences, but the
substance, (and the structure and organization) were taken chapter by
chapter from the "classic."

IIRC the same is true of a book by Daniel Leader.

The reason I mention all this is that when these nice folks re-write
solid stuff, it usually produces solid (though familiar) results.

On occasion however, they re-write nonsense.

I know that in the Leader book, he suggests that a starter should be
made by mixing some flour and water, and to that adding "just a pinch"
of commercial yeast to "attract" the wild yeasts in the air.

When reading that I can't help but have an image of some dockside bar
populated with beautiful women trying to "attract" some sailors on
leave...g

In any case, in my opinion, when it comes to baking books, it is well
to take their advice with a grain of salt (and, perhaps, "just a pinch
of yeast" VBG

All the best,

--
Kenneth

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