Hello everyone. I have been searching the Internet looking for how I
can make sourdough bread. I have a starter, but everytime I make bread
with it the bread is french bread because there isn't a hint of
sourness

Well, I just read through Darrell Greenwood's posting of FAQ Recipes
(part 1 of 2), and I see that my starter will probably never produce
sour flavor. In this post there is a statement that starter made with
active yeast will hinder the sour flavor. Did I mention I used yeast to
make my starter?

After typing this post, I'm going into my kitchen to dump my bad
starter. I will then start the one below from the previously mentioned
FAQ post. Please wish me luck.

I figure I have at least 4 days to research the best bread recipe for
which I can use this new starter. I'm leaning towards 102 "Basic Bread
(not from Sourdough Jack)" from the FAQ posting. It sounds the most
simple.

I hope to post up very postive results soon.


002-----------------------------------------------------------------------002
# From David Adams )

This recipe was given to me by a neighbor lady.

SOURDOUGH STARTER

2 C milk - put in glass or ceramic bowl (not metal) and
set stand uncovered in warm place for 24 hours. Stir in
2 C sifted flour and allow to stand 2 days until bubbles and
gets sour smell. Store in fridge in quart size jar or crock
with looose cover. (If cover is too tight CO2 may cause
explosion.) If liquid rises to top give it a stir. Starter
gets better with age. Use it every 10 days or so and when
you take some out add 1 C flour and 1 C water, set in warm
place for 24 hrs. (or more) then cover loosely and refrig.

If don't use it activate it every couple of weeks by throwing
out all but 1 C starter and adding equal amounts of flour
and water. Try to keep 2 C. on hand. Let warm (take out over
night) before using.

>
> Well, I just read through Darrell Greenwood's posting of FAQ Recipes
> (part 1 of 2), and I see that my starter will probably never produce
> sour flavor. In this post there is a statement that starter made with
> active yeast will hinder the sour flavor. Did I mention I used yeast to
> make my starter?

I am not sure this is completely true. The first starter I ever made was
started with bakers yeast. It became quite sour. I don't recall the
length of time it took but I kept the culture going for over 6 years.

On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:08:18 -0700, "Mr. McD"
> wrote:

>
> >
> > Well, I just read through Darrell Greenwood's posting of FAQ Recipes
> > (part 1 of 2), and I see that my starter will probably never produce
> > sour flavor. In this post there is a statement that starter made with
> > active yeast will hinder the sour flavor. Did I mention I used yeast to
> > make my starter?
>
>I am not sure this is completely true. The first starter I ever made was
>started with bakers yeast. It became quite sour. I don't recall the
>length of time it took but I kept the culture going for over 6 years.

Howdy,

My understanding of the process is that starting with
commercial yeast delays, but does not prevent, the growth of
a useful SD culture.

The commercial yeast cells will soon die off (because they
cannot tolerate the lower pH.) At that point, you are, in
essence, starting over.

So, there is no reason at all that you cannot start a
culture with commercial yeast, and end up with one that is
capable of making a sour loaf.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

Kenneth wrote:

> [...] "Mr. McD"
> > wrote:
>
>>[...]
>>
>>I am not sure this is completely true. The first starter I ever made was
>>started with bakers yeast. It became quite sour. I don't recall the
>>length of time it took but I kept the culture going for over 6 years.
>
> [...]
>
> My understanding of the process is that starting with
> commercial yeast delays, but does not prevent, the growth of
> a useful SD culture.
>
> The commercial yeast cells will soon die off (because they
> cannot tolerate the lower pH.) At that point, you are, in
> essence, starting over.
>
> So, there is no reason at all that you cannot start a
> culture with commercial yeast, and end up with one that is
> capable of making a sour loaf.

It has been posted that some natural leavens contain S. cerevisiae yeast
strains rather than the more typical (for sourdough) C. milleri. Now
whether the former is really the same as baker's yeast just because it
has the same name is another matter (I'm not a microbiologist), but I'd
be interested to hear if anyone here has actually experimented with
commercial-yeast-initiated starters. Someone familiar with running
multiple starters might be able to tell whether a yeast-initiated one
remained identifiably different or just reverted to some norm.

I intended to do such an experiment myself, but I haven't got round to
it yet. My porridge-based starter did retain a different character for
quite a while, but I was also feeding it differently, and it then went
mouldy after being neglected for a period, so I threw it away.

Greg

--
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