{"id":58,"date":"2008-07-20T18:21:35","date_gmt":"2008-07-20T22:21:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.breadcetera.com\/?p=58"},"modified":"2010-10-13T14:41:47","modified_gmt":"2010-10-13T18:41:47","slug":"starting-a-starter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.breadcetera.com\/?p=58","title":{"rendered":"Starting a Starter"},"content":{"rendered":"

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While bread?leavened with?baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae<\/em>) is?an integral part of any?baker’s repertoire, that repertoire would be incomplete without the complex flavors?that can only come from naturally leavened bread.? Known as sourdough?bread here in the U.S.,?this type of bread?relies on the wild yeast and bacteria naturally present on the grain to?provide both leavening and a?unique, mildly?acidic flavor profile.??However, before?they can be used in the production of bread,?these wild yeast and bacteria first need to be activated and cultured.? This is the process of?creating?a sourdough starter.<\/p>\n

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Producing a sourdough starter can be a bit tricky if one is?not familiar with the way?a healthy starter looks and behaves.? For this reason, I strongly recommend that a baker’s first experience with sourdough be with a well established starter.? Ways in which to obtain such a starter?include:<\/p>\n

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  1. Asking?a friend?or local bakery,<\/li>\n
  2. Getting some?dried starter, gratis,?from?Carl Griffth’s sourdough page<\/a> or<\/li>\n
  3. Purchasing one from?King Arthur Flour<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    For those who are a bit more adventurous and?wish to create their own starter, I’ve detailed?the?method I use below.? There?are many different ways to create a starter;?there?is no one ‘correct’ way.??As with?many aspects of baking, the best counsel?is to use what works best for you.<\/p>\n

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    Day 1<\/strong><\/p>\n