Bob wrote:

On Mon, 27 Oct 2003 15:10:13 GMT,
wrote:

Your assumption may or may not be correct. The organisms may have come (and
probably did) from the flour but you cannot rule out their coming from the
ambient. You are assuming that previous failures are 100% certainties of a
kitchen totally free of starter organisms. It is not that clean-cut.

Actually I did have a very small amount of activity in the earlier
experiments, but it went nowhere no matter what I tried. I even got
****ed off at one that had sat there for several days and threw a
potato slice in it. Nothing happened.

I am beginning to think some of the bagged-flour manufacturers put
something in their product to preserve freshness that kills off any
attempts to make a starter. It sure would have been helpful if people
who claimed to make natural starter would have told us what kind of
flour they used.

Anyway, congratulations on getting some results. Now to the crucial test: will
it make bread?

It is still too early to tell - I want to see it double in a
substantial manner several times. I cleaned the inside of the
container with a spatula so I could see any foam trail that I might
miss because it collapsed, and I marked the outside with a piece of
black tape. I should be able to figure out if it erupts sometime in
the next 12 hours. If it does sooner than 12 hours, like in 6 hours, I
am going to change the feeding schedule.

Note that you will not get immediate sourdough taste. It takes a few weeks for
flavor to develop.

As I understand it, after the culture has gone thru its initial
feeding program - in which case it has risen and fallen several times
- it is now ready for the refrigerator. I am not sure what I need to
do at that stage to get it to become really sour.

Although you can control the sourness by the amount of starter you use in your
dough (less - more sour) a young starter probably will not sour immediately.
But do test to see if it will rise dough. Try a simple white bread dough, just
water, AP white flour (I like KA) and starter.

WAit until you have done a few more feedings, it may not be ready.

Bert