[Sca-cooks] RE: Starter went 'Pfft'

[Joanne Clyde]

Forwarded question to the scabakers list.  I'll post their replies!

Geertruyt


Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 20:51:41 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris Stanifer <jugglethis at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Starter went 'Pffft'
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Message-ID: <20041125045141.80162.qmail at web41009.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

My catering company has been very busy lately.  That's great for me, but 
apparently *not* so great
for my Sourdough Starter.  After 6 months of devoted service and outrageous 
flavor, it appears
that my starter has suffered from seperation anxiety.  3 weeks in the 
fridge, unfed and unloved,
and it has given up the ghost....shuffled off this mortal coil..... gone to 
join the Choir
Invisible...you get the point.

I tried to revive it by adding more yeast, and replacing half of it with 
fresh flour and water,
but it just sat there, looking up at me with billions of lifeless eyes.  No 
froth, no bubble, not
even a respectable burp.  Listless.

I'm wondering why the starter did not revive when I added fresh yeast and 
fresh flour.  It always
had before, and I can't think of any reason why it wouldn't now.  Unless, 
there is too much acid
in the starter???  I mean, this stuff is lemondrop sour, and made absolutely 
wonderful bread,
pancakes and waffles, just to name a few.

If the acid is not a problem (I have been using home-made starters for years 
with no problems),
could it be a bacterial infection???  The starter still smells like 
sourdough starter, and hasn't
'gone off'.  The 'run-off' was clear and smelled tart (no off odors).

Any sourdough bakers out there think they can offer up some advice?  I have 
started a new batch,
using a tablespoon of the original starter, and all other ingredients fresh 
(including fresh
yeast).  I'm hoping this new batch will not be problematic due to the 
addition of the stuck
starter.

William de Grandfort
Experienced Baker, but come on.... I'm at a loss.