Hello:

I have asked Mike to add me to the mailing list he keeps for rec.food.sourdough. To the best of my understanding this email will propagate a thread and mailing to members. If I am in error, please advise.

I am a home-hobbyist baker living in Orlando, Florida. I eat my mistakes or use them to hold the doors open on windy days - tossing them to the birds is treacherous -- a direct hit can damage delicate creatures. My sourdough experience is limited to the SF culture from SDI (Sourdough International).

I have received the Russian culture from SDI and plan to activate it this week (Yes, the unopened pouch is stored in the refrigerator in the meantime.). I searched the rec.food.sourdough archives but was unsuccessful finding treads related to the Russian culture.
a.. Do others have and use the SDI Russian culture?
b.. Do others have any advice or suggestions concerning the Russian culture?
c.. Have others experimented with inoculation percentages, proofing times and temps, etc. with the Russian culture?
d.. My normal procedure when using my existing culture* is to take 25% (I maintain 100% hydration and measure by weight) of the final amount desired (which ranges from 15-40% of dough weight) cold from the refrigerator, double it and proof 12 hours, double it again and proof 6 hours, add to recipe and proceed. The flavor is extremely mild and the rise is very good. I assume that this procedure will work fine with the Russian culture. Yes or no?
e.. I am concerned that given the purported activity of the Russian culture it will not allow any/ many punch-downs and re-rises. True/ False?
I will appreciate the sharing of any thoughts/ experience with this culture.

Thanks,

Ray Kockentiet

*To date my culture remains highly active with 100% hydration - no hooch forms on my "stock" culture. Roughly every 5 to 10 days the entire culture comes out gets doubled and proofed 12 hours. A portion of that is fed, proofed for 1 to 3 hours and returned to refrigeration to be my stock culture. The excess is used for bread, pancakes or pizza/ focaccia.

"WRK" < > wrote in message news:mailman.4.1156691200.66954.rec.food.sourdough @mail.otherwhen.com...

> I have asked Mike to add me to the mailing list he keeps for rec.food.sourdough.

Dunno why you feel you need Mike for that? You can subscribe yourself.

> Do others have and use the SDI Russian culture?
> Do others have any advice or suggestions concerning the Russian culture?
> Have others experimented with inoculation percentages, proofing times and temps,
> etc. with the Russian culture?

SDI Russia is a popular culture, and, if it arrives revivable, and has not drifted, is
quite like Carl's, which may be a bit better known at r.f.s. So what works for
Carl's (1847 Oregon Trail) culture should work for SDI Russia.
www.carlsfriends.org

WRK wrote:
> Hello:
> I searched the rec.food.sourdough archives but was unsuccessful finding treads related to the Russian culture.

Hi Buddy, Try here

http://tinyurl.com/k7jp4

which is
[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.f...ch+this+group]

Despite the advertising, imho, the Russian is not greatly different
than using the SF culture. It even tastes similar. Follow your regular
procedure. Bake as a normal loaf. First couple of times, you could keep
an eye on the risings to gauge the speed. With a few frequent
repetitions you may notice an increase. But you'll have plenty of time
to play with the dough.

Have fun!


Slim

On 8/27/06, Dick Adams > wrote:

> "WRK" < > wrote in message news:mailman.4.1156691200.66954.rec.food.sourdough @mail.otherwhen.com...

> > I have asked Mike to add me to the mailing list he keeps for rec.food.sourdough.

> Dunno why you feel you need Mike for that? You can subscribe yourself.

There are many paths to rec.food sourdough. I don't like newsreader
software, so I setup a gateway from rec.food.sourdough and a few other
newsgroups to mailing lists. I made the mailing lists available to
others However, I had a few people who subscribed to my mailing lists
who become annoying. So, I no longer allow people to fully subscribe
themselves. I have to approve their subscription.

It reduces the number of people who send notes to the newsgroup that
read, "how do I get off this mailing list?" or "Please take me off
your mailing list." I immediately grant the request, after sending a
note to the list/newsgroup in question apologizing for having had an
airhead subscribe to the list.. one who can't remember how they
subscribed to a list only a day or two earlier (the most common
scenario).

Mike

"Mike Avery" > wrote in message news:mailman.5.1156701915.66954.rec.food.sourdough @mail.otherwhen.com...

> I had a few people who subscribed to my mailing lists
> who become annoying.

Could have been me. I would wonder how I got involved
with a list when I could have simply subscribed to a newsgroup.

> I have to approve their subscription.

Probably you would not approve of me. I am a troublemaker.

--
Dicky