"TG" > wrote in message oups.com...
> Some ferment the hell out of their starter and use a lot
> to get 'sour' then they often spike it with yeast to get a reliable
> rise.

Oh, God help us! Are we still doing that?

That is the recipe for a sour brick, you know.

> Then some use a little and ferment the hell out of their
> dough ...

That seems a bit extreme.

Best advice, I think, likens feeding up a culture to starting
a bon fire.

Inoculate some batter, wait until it becomes active.
Do it again (feed it) starting with the whole amount.
Maybe do it one more time. Then with some luck
and some contrivance you'll have something you can
start some dough with.

Best advice for the batter with which to feed is 50-50
flour-water, by weight, or whatever it takes to make a
soft dough that does not collapse under its own weight.
That way you can gauge activity by height.

Now, what is the amount you will add to your final
dough? Well, if you do it my way, it will be about
ten fluid ounces, collapsed. But probably you won't.
http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/di...ions%5FRev.doc

--
Dicky