Kenneth,
I know for a fact, that a starter (grown with Detmold 3-Stage) kept in the
fridge for 2 - 4 weeks, then doubled and grown for 8 hours at the usual 85
F (or something) has at least one measurable different property: hydration.
To get the same dough consistency (all other components equal) as with a
fresh grown, I have to lower the "theoretical" hydration by at least 4 % or
more to get a similar workable dough. And that's a lot, if one considers
that the original starter flour amount (after taken out of the fridge)
causing this fluctuation is 14 % of total dough flour.
Now, that may not be exactly what you are asking. You think of growing the
starter for a while, which I don't do in this case. It's only one more
refreshment at that point.
But seeing the sensitivity of a starter process towards temperature
fluctuations and significant acidity changes in the final product when
prolonging the dough fermentation by only one hour, it's clear for me that
a fridge-kept starter is a different animal from a continuously grown at a
certain level.
Taste differences, acidity, crumb structure - all that is very subjective
and probably difficult to establish. Also, the argument exists that the
starter may change over time anyway - for the better;-)
So - maybe it needs to be checked out if one wants to know. I don't have
the time beyond what I wrote here.
Samartha
At 10:19 AM 9/9/2004, Kenneth wrote:
>Hi Samartha,
>
>Of course you are right, but I do wonder:
>
>Do you think that there are likely to be noticeable differences
>between a starter stored at room temperature (and fed on an
>appropriate schedule) and one stored in the fridge, and then as I
>suggested in the post above fed a few cycles at room temp?
>
>There certainly might be. I just don't know.
>
>All the best,
>
>--
>Kenneth
>
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===
Samartha Deva
Certified Rolfer
Certified Rolf Movement® Practitioner
Longmont, CO
www.IRolfYou.com
(303) 774-1375
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