withrow@tonto.DEC (Robert Withrow) (10/22/85)
Can any one suggest a truly foolproof method for making sourdough starter? I have tried a method using two cups of flour, two cups of potato water, some sugar and a dash of salt. After waiting for several days, stirring daily, all I got was a bad odor.... NO BUBBLES! I am specifically looking for a method that doesn't use a commercial starter, and hopefully, one that doesn't use any yeast.
rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn) (10/24/85)
> ...I am specifically looking > for a method that doesn't use a commercial starter, and hopefully, one that > doesn't use any yeast. Without a commercial starter, you are taking your chances on what yeast is (or, from your difficulties, apparently isn't) in the air where you're trying to make the starter. If the appropriate beasties aren't in the air, nothing useful is going to happen. I'm not sure why you're hoping for something that doesn't use yeast. A sourdough starter IS a yeast culture; it's just not the usual baker's yeast. A commercial starter culture can give you a flock of the right kind of yeast you need. -- Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303)444-5710 x3086 ...At last it's the real thing...or close enough to pretend.
peter@utah-gr.UUCP (Peter S. Ford) (11/11/85)
With reference to using airborn yeast, one does take his chances. Often a "wild" yeast will give an off taste and unpredictable rising qualities. peter ford (peter@utah-cs)