new starter good for....
Please forgive me if I don't use the right terms.... I'm new to this....
I started a starter a few weeks ago using the grape method; it didn't work - mold developed.
I started a starter a week ago using whole wheat flour and pineapple juice. I got it to the point where last night it doubled in bulk and has what I think is a good smell. If my research is right it may be viable, but, not as good as it should be for bread. The room I have it in right now is about 70 degrees and it's the warmest room in the house. I think I should discard some and feed it more for at least a week before I try it with bread. Can I use what I discard this week for sourdough panckes, waffles etc?
I hope I explained myself well. Thanks for any comments and suggestions!
If the starter is doubling (when it's fed) within a few hours, I think it's active enough to bake. My starter took 7 days to develop and I baked on the 8th day with great results.
Good luck!
I agree with whiskers. If it's doubling (you didn't say in what timeframe, but I'm assuming you mean within 12 hours), it is active enough to bake with. It won't have as much flavor now as it will in a few weeks, but that's no reason not to bake bread with it.
My theory has always been that by baking with your starter while it's young, you can hone your sourdough skills while the starter develops flavor and rising power.
To answer your other question, yes, you can use your discard for pancakes, waffles, etc.
Thanks for the advice. The starter was 1 1/2 times it's original size in about 6 hours and had doubled in size by the time I got up this morning - about 15 hours after I added more flour and water to it. After reading these comments I may try a loaf this afternoon and will plan on waffles Friday.