[Sca-cooks] Starter went 'Pffft'

[Chris Stanifer]

--- "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius.magister at verizon.net> wrote:

> I suspect you're right. On the other hand, given that Biga, Chef, and 
> Levain aren't English words, and the [fact?] that sourdough (if you 
> distinguish it from Biga, Chef, and Levain) is more or less a Western 
> Anglo-American usage (unless I'm mistaken), I'm not so much saying 
> that they get to decide what it means, as that it's useless to argue. 
> In practical reality, you _can_ have sourdough that isn't especially 
> sour. 

This I will not dispute, with the caveat that you have to have at least a wee bit of sour in
there.  'Especially' sour, no.....'sour', yes.


> >In short, IMHO, a sourdough starter is used for the express purpose 
> >of providing a pleasant, sour
> >tang to the bread (and gelatinizing the starch in 100% rye breads). 
> >A Starter which has not been
> >allowed to sour is just that...a starter.
> 
> <Bugs Bunny voice and accent> Ehhhhhhhh, I'm not so sure about dat, 
> bub. With respect, and speaking from a purely forensic standpoint, is 
> it possible you're applying European terms to an American concept and 
> then blaming the American concept for not meeting expectations 
> expressed in the terms?


Not sure I follow this one.  Sourdough starter is an American term, and I'm applying American
terms to it (I think).  Perhaps a bit more elaboration, if it even seems worth the effort..?

WdG





>

=====
Through teeth of sharks, the Autumn barks.....and Winter squarely bites me.


		
__________________________________ 
Do you Yahoo!? 
Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. 
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail