* Ivan McDonagh 2003-10-29:
The starter is a home-grown one started and fed on the cheapest flour I
could find. Just recently, being as how I've decided to start making
bread on a regular basis rather than just playing, I got some "bakers
flour" from the supermarket and now use that instead of the super cheap
*ahem* rubbish.

Should be fine either way. I don't know the source of your problem but
have made a couple of comments based own my own experience.

Feeding regime is basically empty the whole lot into a mixing bowl to
use for bread and then add 50g flour and 50g water to whatever is left
in the starter container - there's usually a reasonable amount.

Rather than emptying out as much as possible you might consider leaving
at least 10 to 20 grams ( I would leave 50g). At some point ( not sure
when ) over-dilution may allow foreign organisms to gain a foothold in
your culture.

Because
I'm baking every day now I just leave the starter in the open - the
weather isn't terribly hot (day time max about 25C) and it tends to be
suitably frothy and wonderful by the time I get around to using it
approx. 24hrs later.

I like to use the sponge earlier, at peak strength before it starts to
get very sour and fall. I refrigerate sponge if delay will be more than
4-6 hours.


I agree with you comments - my starter *did* smell wonderful ... if ever
I started to think life wasn't so good, I took a good sniff and
magically gained a sense of perspective

Nothing better!

--
Steve W
s (dot) wal (at) verizon (dot) net