PastorDIC wrote:
> Also, I've noticed that unless you make Mike Avery's Blueberry
> Sourdough muffins on a regular basis to use up some starter (although
> I'm sure there are other good uses I haven't found yet) or you make
> about three loaves of bread at a time you are always going to have more
> starter after you make one loaf of bread than you did before you made
> it because it took more water and flour to reactivate the starter than
> the amount of starter you used in your recipe.
Since I wrote most of the sourdoughhome web page, I've been changing how
I use and maintain starter. And I am not having tons of excess starter
any longer. It is very similar to what Dick and Samartha talk about in
their posts.

I have gone from about 100% hydration on the starter I save in the
fridge to around 60%. This stored starter lasts months without
refreshment and without hooch. When I get low on starter, I take the
storage starter out of the fridge and feed it up until I have enough
starter.

About two days before I want to bake, I take a very small amount of
starter out of the jar in the fridge and feed it up. After two days, I
have the amount of starter I need, and the starter is very active.

My goal is to have the right amount of starter, with no leftover
starter. Since I know how much starter I'll need for my bake, I work
towards that amount. As a side note, if you don't have quite enough, it
is easy to replace part of the starter with flour and water and carry
on. The rise will take a bit longer, but it will work. On a few
occasions I have used as little as 1/4 of the starter the recipe called
for. In general, the first rise will take a bit longer, but the second
rise (if you use one) will take the usual amount of time.

Mike


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Mike Avery mavery at mail dot otherwhen dot com
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