[Sca-cooks] Collecting Yeast from Birch Trees

[Terry Decker]

I've never heard of collecting yeast off of birch trees.  I have heard of
collecting and drying yeast with straws, twigs, and plates.  In each of
these cases, yeast barm is collected on the surface of the item and allowed
to dry, sometimes with several immersions to let the yeast collect in
layers.  The twigs and the straws are stored in jars, broken off when
necessary and used to kick off a new starter or barm.  The dried yeast from
the plate is scrapped off and stored and used like cake yeast.

Yeast from brewing is most commonly used in the beer drinking regions of
Europe.  Sourdoughs are more common in southern Europe where wines were the
general beverage and ales spoil quickly.

Bear


>Long ago (OK, it was only 7 years ago), at a Laurel Prize Tourney, not so
very far away (only about 3 hours), I was told that although yeast from
brewing was the most plentiful and commonly used in period, yeast was also
collected off of birch trees.
>
>Have any of you heard of such a thing? Has anybody seen any documentation?
>
>Thanks for the help,
>
>Samrah