On 3/28/2010 3:33 PM, James Silverton wrote:
> Mack wrote on Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:06:42 -0700:
>
>> Can you buy sourdough in the UK, or is it uniquely American in
>> usage? I can buy it in Mexico, but it is imported from the
>> States.
>
> You can make sour-dough bread anywhere in the world but it never tastes
> quite as well as that made in San Francisco. I think it is a special
> sub-species of yeast that reverts to the local varieties even if you
> bring some from San Francisco. Nonetheless, making your own sourdough
> "starter" is quite easy.


The "trick" is not adding any yeast. (most sourdough starter recipes
are bogus, and include milk and yeast)

All you need is flour and water and time. Rye flour works particularly
well to get it going, then you can change it over to wheat flour as you
feed it.

Bob