[Sca-cooks] bread starter

[Decker, Terry D.]

Simple organisms change fairly rapidly, so it is doubtful that they are
identical to the ones 500 years ago, but they probably wouldn't lose the
qualities which make a good bread yeast.  One also needs to remember it is
not just the yeast, but the lactobacilli which produce a good starter.
Fortunately, the travel together in the same dry starter culture.

If you want some different starters, buying them from Ed Wood or a similar
dealer is the easy way to do it.  Wood has a good reputation.

If you just want to experiment with sourdough starter, make your own.

Bear

> i was reading the book "Classic Sourdoughs" by Ed Wood....
> <yes, Devra, of Poison Pen Press, probably has my credit card number
> memorized by now>
>
> anyway his comapnay "Sourdough international" sells sourdough starters
> gathered from all over the world.  i was wondering what any
> of you thought
> about it... some of the cultures may well be *identical* to
> ones available
> in period... one of the bakeries he got his from has been in
> continuous
> operation. using the same starter strain since 1670 something.....
>
> http://www.sourdo.com/index.htm
>
> Kirsten