I’ve been a terrible keeper of my sourdough starter. When we left to go to MO almost four weeks ago, I divided a well fed starter, took half of it with me and left half of it here. I keep dried starter in the freezer so I wasn’t terribly worried about losing it all but I was pretty happy with that starter. Feeding it at least once a week and keeping it in the fridge is a good way to keep it healthy but I wasn’t doing so well in that regard.
We were in MO for 2-1/2 weeks and I only fed that starter once. Ideally, I don’t think it go more than three weeks in the fridge without a good feeding or two but, what’s “ideal” around here these days?
We got back to Texas a week ago Friday and I totally intended to feed the starter I had left here that night but never got around to it. Every day, I intended to do it and didn’t.
Vince asked me Wednesday if I was ever going to make bread again. That’s a whole different story . . not one you want to hear about! It isn’t like I haven’t been busy doing other things around here.
Yesterday I got the much neglected starter out. I figured I’d feed it then, and have to feed it again this morning but when I got up, it was all bubbly and energetic (which is probably more than I could say for myself).
I went ahead and made bread with it and it was fine. Vince is happy!
The starter is fed again, active and back in the fridge.
Seeing it so active makes me happy. Even though I have the backup starter in the freezer, I wouldn’t want to lose this one.
I’m hoping the sourdough starter, the humans and the pets survive this move. Right now . . I’m not so sure about any of that.
Nelle Coursey says
You will all survive. I have faith in you!
Twyla says
You are a very strong woman, Judy. You are tired and weary right now but, you are strong enough to get this job done. We women get on overload sometimes and even question our own abilities BUT you are a woman who can get this done. You should be very proud of all these accomplishments so far.
Yesenia says
I just would like to ask for your bread recipe on picture it looks wonderful like sandwich bread!
Judy Laquidara says
It is sandwich bread but I don’t really use a recipe. I start with about 80 grams of fed starter, add 500 grams of flour, 300 grams of water and 10 grams of salt. Then I stir in more flour or water to get the right consistency. I knead it by hand for a short time, place it in a bowl and let it rest for about an hour. Then I shape it into a loaf and put it in a loaf pan and let it rise however long it needs to rise. Sometimes it’s a few hours, sometimes it’s half a day. Bake at 350 til it’s done.
One thing different from regular loaf bread, I don’t grease the bowl or the loaf pan. Hope this helps and sorry I’m not able to be more specific.