Hi All,

This is my first post on the forum and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading many of your posts. I love SD bread and have recently over the past few months started baking SF SD bread. I would like to draw on your experiences working with a Motherdough. Specifically nurturing a Motherdough similar to Boudin.

I've seen  a few videos of baker Fernando @ Boudin showing off the Motherdough and he always asks people to smell it as he rips it open and squishes it back to expel a big whiff of ripeness! Everyone's expression is shear amazement, and he says it can clear your sinuses! How the heck do they get it so ripe? Fernando says they feed it very strong flour for the bacteria to have plenty of food. Strong flour?

I've read that in Southern California the bread will taste different due to local bacteria, I'm fine with that but I'd still like to get my Motherdough as ripe as possible with the end result as naturally tangy as can be. I have two cultures from which I started my two Motherdoughs; KAF & Cultures for Health SF SD.

Here are my questions;

1) Do your starters have a nose biting pungent smell?

2) What hydration level would produce a pungent Mother? Lower hydration = more sour right?

3) What temperature should I store the Motherdough at? I've heard 48*? Which temp best promotes the lactic acid development?

4) What flour do you think Boudin is using to feed Momma? 14% protein? White, Wheat, Rye? I've seen bags of Mello Judith in videos.

5) What feeding schedule would produce the most lactic acid?

Reference videos;

0:25 Fernando brings out motherdough. Look how firm it is and the dark creamy color.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmu1geWRpS8

1:25 motherdough vault

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG1OEai8x8M&list=FLxgN-j3OffrJZOF5tu7dzXA&index=1&feature=plpp_video

In this video you see Fernando explain that they feed Mother very strong flour. You can also see how dense the mother is and how much darker the color is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOmlhjAphnE

Thanks,

Jake

I decided to post pix of my motherdough which is where this all started. It has a very short history at this time but hopefully it will last a few years and I can pass it down and around. Flour and water.

E

I have been reading the ingredients on breads from bakeries. You can order them like from Boudin in SF. The only list flour, water salt. Is it the starter that is responsible for keeping the freshness? Since there are no conditioners or additives to keep it fresh.

I have been busy with everything but  baking. So last night I started refreshing my motherdough from the fridge. It sits there paitienly and I eventually get around to it once every two weeks. I decided to use it insted of my counter-intelligent sourdough starter I keep for weekly baking at 166%.

I tore off about 50 grams of motherdough. I used a simple formula of ( I made a really small amount) Which is a variation from Janedo's Monge recipe which I have come to love. Thanks Jane!!

250 grams Hi Gluten Flour

175 grams of water

50  grams motherdough

5 grams salt

Combined the water and flour and allowed to autlyse 20 minutes. Added motherdough and kneaded about 5-8 minutes. Allowed a 10 minute rest and then added salt till evenly distributed. Allowed to bulk rise for 4 hours. Placed in a couche and off to the fridge. Took it out this morning and gave it about 3 hours to warm up and rise. Slashed and placed in a 500 degree humid oven for 30 minutes.

I normally do not use the motherdough. It is regarded as a back-up and safety net. It smells so sweet as if made with a good wine. Made only of flour and water back in January.

I noticed several things after the bake. The color is much more of a caramel color and seems to be thinner but crispier. The crumb seems to be somewhat more open. The taste still has a sour flavor but more of a caramel taste and then a sour finish. I may switch to this method and practice a little more. I like the results.

Eli

Does anyone use primarily a dough for the starter?

Motherdough Batard

Motherdough Closeup

Motherdough Crumb

I wanted to make a refrigerated motherdough (one that needs weekly feeding) that would have minimum or no sour taste for sweet roles.  Any advice?