[Slowgrind]

I'm going to have a second go at making a starter for sour dough bread today. I tried a few weeks ago but the starter went all slimey after the initial period of foamy bubbles! Has anyone tried this method recently! Have you made a good starter before?

[Poolfield2]

I have a starter that was begun in Sept 2008, if you use it every couple of days it stays bubbly but if you don't need it for a while make it a bit wetter than normal and pop it in the fridge.

When you want to use it again you will find a grey liquid on the top and thick gunge at the bottom, use a heaped tsp of the gunge in with fresh flour and water and feed it every 12 hours til it is bubbly then you are ready to go again.

Although it is not ideal mine survived not being used for 2 months once

[Slowgrind]

Thanks for the info Poolfield2. I think that I had the real deal first time!
I just killed our only pet! 

[Poolfield2]

Thanks for the info Poolfield2. I think that I had the real deal first time!
I just killed our only pet! 

IT's the only pet that you "knead" never take to the vet, boom boom!

Good luck with it, it is a very undemanding pet but I get very attached to it. I tried telling OH it would have to go on holiday with us until I found you could keep it in the fridge

[willowman]

Just found this topic.
Can I butt in and ask what is so good about sourdough bread that is worth all this trouble of keeping yeast starters alive?
I have seen recipes for this type of bread but never actually eaten any.

[Slowgrind]

I first tried this stuff a few years ago whilst relations in America. There is no other bread that tastes like it! The starter can be a problem to cope with for the novice baker(me). Once you've tried it you'll not go back to plain white bread.
A guy on BBC 4 was using some last night to bake the perfect organic loaf.
It may be on the Iplayer. 

[noshed]

Made well, it is extremely tasty. My friends kids love it. A really nutty flavour.

[Ladyrose56]

When i was in the trade the sour dough we used to make is just flour and water mixed to a dough then put in a clean plastic container and covered with a damp cloth and left the natural air born yeast will re act with the dough and give a really good tast to your bread i used to cut part out and add it to my bread dough this gives a really good flavour

[azubah]

Thanks for this thread. I have just mixed my first ever batch of sourdough, and am waiting for it to rise. I have never tried this before so I hope it works.