As much as I detest the addiction metaphor , (chochoholic, fashion addict , etc) I can’t find a better way to describe my relationship to sourdough. I’m hooked!
Sourdough also known as wild yeast, is of course a magical combination of flour, warm water and a bit of fermented dough .
Until commercial yeast became widely available, every home had a crock of sourdough starter. Because starter is used and then replenished it can live indefinetly . Some starters date back decades, even centuries. In Uncle John’s Bread Book, Uncle John, the book’s eponymous author described his father bringing along a crock of starter when he emigrated from Germany to the US during the early decades of the 20th century.
Of course long term starter saving was never a Jewish practice because of Passover. Starter, known in Hebrew as seor, an interesting sound alike to sourdough, is Hametz and must be discarded before Passover.In his Encyclopedia of Jewish Food, Gil Marks claims that in the Middle East, the Arabs dropped in on their Jewishe neighbors’ post Pesach Mimouna celebrations with gifts of starter for the Jews to use in their pita baking.
Of course one can mix up a fresh batch of starter .I suspect that is what the majority of our ancestors did after Pesach being surrounded by often hostile neighbors whose food they would not eat.
Daunting as it sounds, starter making is quite easy. I’d say, give it 10 minutes top to get underway. But after that you’ll need to wait a week for the fermentation to get underway. No instant but in nanosecond immediate gratification culture it’s wonderful a wonderful lesson when all you can do is wait.
This is what a sourdough starter looks like once fermentation has began. Note the tiny bubbles. They are a sign that your starter is ready.
Sourdough Starter from Joy of Cooking
25 oz (2 ½ t) active dry yeast or instant yeast
2 cups warm water
2 cups all-purpose flour
Mix together in a non-metallic bowl using a wooden spoon. Cover loosely and leave in warm place 4 to 8 days. When bubbly with a pleasantly sour smell use and after that refrigerate. If it turns a strange color (green or orange) discard
To replenish, discard all but one cup of the starter. Add the cupful to 1 cup all-purpose flour and 1 cup lukewarm water. Let stand overnight until fermented and bubbling and then use or refrigerate.
How does 25 oz of yeast correspond with 2½ t teaspoons?
.25. I guess I left out the point. Thanks for pointing it out .let me know how your sourdough starter works out, I’ll be posting a supereasy bread recipe soon. Thanks for visiting
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Joy of Cooking was my mother’s basic cooking Bible. I still use it as a reference (I’m probably on my 10th edition, I buy the paperback so I don’t care how damaged it gets in the kitchen). Meanwhile, on a couple things, the Joy’s a bit off. Bread made with a starter is terrific, but if it contains yeast, it’s technically not sourdough. Carol, I started a new batch of sourdough starter 2 weeks ago (I use Maggie Glezer’s slow method for non-liquidy starter) and I’m going to send you a photo in a few minutes. It has absolutely quadrupled in size since last night!
I’d love to have that recipe. I initially tried to go yeast free. A sourdough making neighbor told me to make something soupy “like a blintz batter” yes I know it sounds gross . After a week in which it did absolutely nothing I turned to JOC and used their recipe which worked just fine but I’m always open to improvement. thanks for reading and commenting.
there are actually two types of fermentation: yeast (which is fungus) and bacterial. longer, slower ferment times tend to be bacterial, whereas shorter times with puffier dough, fungal. the joy of cooking starter is a yeast based starter. a true sourdough has a combination of both, or even only bacterial. in order to get more flavor out of sourdough, use cooler temperatures (like the refrigerator, yes even for rising) less (or no) yeast and be prepared to wait!
as for Pesach… I’m wondering how halachic it is to sell a starter beforehand and then buy it back after…
I don’t pasken halachos but I’m actually doing it your way. I made a new starter, no yeast, using potato water. As the weather is cold here it’s sitting in the window sill and I’m waiting. Thanks for reading and writing.
Another good entry, nice one ecigarette retailer