SC - Smithsonian dinner

[Stefan li Rous]

On Mon, 24 Jul 2000 07:03:15 -0700 Ron and Laurene Wells
<tinyzoo at aracnet.com> writes:
>Alright, I'm sure some of you are exhausted by the discussion of sour 
>doh.  But the conversation inspired me to try that JUST flour and 
>water experiment to see if it would actually work!  I think it really 
>did!!!  It's all bubbly, and swelling anyway.  I have forgotten to 
>feed it at night both days (today is the third day), but fed it in the
morning 
>every day.  And it seems to be doing SOMETHING.  My question though, 
>is what does this yeast and sugar free sour doh smell like?  It doesn't 
>have the yeasty smell I'm used to from making sourdoh in the past.  It 
>smells sour, but... strange too.  (I wish someone could come over and
check 
>it for me!!!)  It isn't growing fuzz or any horrible thing like that.  I

>guess I am just concerned that perhaps it is not growing the proper
organisms 
>for bread making, and that I might poison my family or something???  
Any 
>constructive responses (email is preferred if you could possibly 
>carbon copy it to me?) would be greatly appreciated!
>
>-Laurene
>tinyzoo at aracnet.com

Sourdough starter
1 Tupperware bowl wit a good seal
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
Care and feeding of sourdough starter! This presumes you already have a
basic starter going.  The tupperware bowl is necessary to keep the air
out as the starter is an anaerobic culture.  Or putting it another way,
the formed alcohols break down into bad tasting acids with oxidation. 
Add flour and milk to increase the amount of starter in relationship to
the amount needed for bread or hotcakes.  You could use water.  If you
use other carbohydrates than flour expect a change in flavor. The starter
can be kept in the refrigerator for about 3 months. Bring it out at room
temperature for at least a couple of days prior to using to allow it to
get active again.  If it seems dead, take off the top half inch layer and
add the milk and flour to some of the center of the starter. If the
starter is left out on the counter expect to feed it at least every other
day. A properly active starter has bubbles of gas coming up to the
surface and has a "proper" smell.  Contrariwise a bad starter has a
necrotic Smell. A starter that has set for a long time in the
refrigerator will have a clear fluid on top.  Its okay to stir this in;
its just an alcoholic liquid.  The sourdough miners called this "hooch".

A proper smell is very much like a strong sourdough bread from the store.

Korrin S. DaArdain
Korrin.DaArdain at Juno.com

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