cshenk wrote:
> "Brian Mailman" wrote
>> Nick Cramer wrote:
>
>> This is just the "everyday" bread we use around here for morning
>> toast. Nothing artisanal. Goes kinda like this:

[..]heya

> Oh I am SO happy you posted that! I may have to join the
> rec.food.sourdough group to ask how to make a starter properly.

It's easy enough, although some make it complicated. Get yourself some
whole grain flour, about a cup. Add enough non-chlorinated water to
make a pancake-batter-type consistency. Cover loosely, and let it sit
out for a week. When it looks like picture #4 here, it's ready.
http://www.pbase.com/rina/sourdough

Others begin with an already established starter. Carl's Friends
http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/ sends out one for the price of a SASE
and so do I (mine is an SF sourdough, an infant at a mere 20 as compared
to Carl's 150+). There are others in rfs who will do the same.

> It's not a really 'native' thing for a breadmachine but as I said
> elsewhere, should be possible to at least do the 'dough' portion in
> the machine.

I'm afraid that's about all you can do. Because of the vagaries in
temperatures, conditions, yadayadayada, sourdough doesn't live by
timers, you time by the sourdough.

> Don't laugh to hard at my shenannigans to avoid kneading ;-)

I don't... works for me to have the machine do it since I don't have
much of a cleanup and it allows me to do other things.

> Some wonderful people here in the alt.bread.recipes have come up with
> ideas on possible ways to work bread without a machine for one like
> me and on a good day, some may actually work! I have to clean a
> counter off so I can try them but have an interesting one saved. It
> uses a 'folding technique' instead of a kneading one.

You can avoid kneading altogether.
http://www.realbakingwithrose.com/20...oly_bread.html

B/