Starter questions from a total newbie
I just finished reading the posts in this forum about starters. I did not by all means read all of them but I did get a general idea about starters. Now that I have a better idea of what starter is and how it works I've got questions. One very helpful thread says that at one point the starter will have to be fed 2-3 times a day.
So my questions:
What typically is a good size container in which to keep the starter?
What type of container: glass, plastic, ceramic, other?
What does one do with starter if one has to be away for a day?
I live in a very rural area and a couple times a month we are gone all day (8-12 hours) with appointments, shopping, etc. in the big city. So there would be days that I would not be able to feed starter on a schedule. But if I put it in the fridge and revive it before I can use it I may end up doing nothing but without the chance to bake with it. Should I even bother with trying?
Now I have to talk on the phone. I've got more questions so I'll be back.
1. The size of the container will depend on the largest amount you plan to use at one time plus room for extra plus room for expansion. I use a glass pint or quart container for starter that I don't plan to use anytime soon, though I pull it out for a weekly discard and feeding. The starter I use the most is in a 1.5-liter (about 1.5-quart) glass container. It doesn't need that large of a container, but I do have freedom of space. There is usually only up to a cup of starter in the container. You can always keep a smallish container and use some of the starter in a bowl or large glass cup to build the amount you need for baking.
2. Glass, plastic, and ceramic are all fine. You can see through the glass (until the sides are too covered with layers of starter), and the glass won't scratch like plastic will.
3. I got caught the other day and had to leave home an hour before it was time to refresh two starters. I just threw them into the refrigerator and crossed my fingers. When I took them out 18 hours later, they acted as though nothing was amiss. I let them sit about an hour at room temperature and did the normal discard and feed routine. The darn things never noticed I was gone! Use the refrigerator if you are unsure about your time away from home. It slows everything down, so your starter won't be starving if you are delayed.
Once you have them going they are pretty care free. You just have to use a really thick (50-60%) starter and keep only a tiny amount (about 25 gms). Do you have a scale? Get a scale before starting.
Start with Debra Winks blog on making a pinapple starter. That will get a good healthy starter going. Or, someone like me can send you some.
Once you get past the early stages, the first couple of weeks, you convert it to a thick, doughy starter and put the tiniest bit in whatever your tiniest plastic container is in the fridge. I have one rye and one whole wheat starter in plastic containers and we're in an RV right now, waiting for our house to be rebuilt. Lost my starter in the fire and Eric H. sent me some of his to get started again.
Once you get your thick starter, if you bake once a week you don't need to worry about any other feeding schedule. Just build starter for your bake, keep back 25 grams for next time and put your build in a bigger container on the countertop. Just make sure you don't schedule your bake when you're going to town. Actually, feed your starter right before going to town and it will be ready to mix up your dough when you get back. Then, your dough can rise overnight and the next day you can shape, proof and have fresh bread. See how easy that can fit into your busy schedule?
Email me if you want some starter, I'd be happy to send you some. It's really not that hard. Also, some recipes call for 60%, some for 100%. I just convert during the builds to the recipe specifications. If you're concerned you can do an extra build but I haven't even found it necessary. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
Tracy
Hello Tracy....I am AMAZED you are doing this in an RV...God bless you! I hope your home is rebuilt soon! As for starter...I have been trying to get a good starter going for more than a year....I am a travel nurse and thought I was going to be able to stay home and just work locally but it didn't happen. I have a starter in a jar in the fridge that I am guessing I will have to toss when I get home since it hasn't been fed in months....but while I am in New Mexico, I have been trying to build one....I have an orange juice starter I have been working on for a week and a half....STILL not sure if I am going to have to toss it out like all the others I have tried. It still smells kinda spoiled.....but froths up everytime I feed it...so I keep trying. It is just really hard for me to believe that it is "Easy" once they get going....it may be..but what a royal pain in the tush to get it going!!!! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!! Thanks!!
Jann
Sounds like you're pretty motivated to be trying this as a locums nurse too. Keeping starters in the camper is not so bad, except my little fridge is sort of full! And baking is a great stress relief.
I started my first from scratch, using some organic raisins and rye flour. I would have used the pinapple formula if I'd known about it. I lost my first starter in the fire and Eric was kind enough to help me with another.
When you say you keep one in a jar, I'm thinking it's pretty liquid. Once you get another one started (or even just buy some dehydrated or get some from one of us?), try keeping it really firm. It's so much less needy when it's a hard lump of dough.
Sounds like the one you're trying to start still has some hope. Try sending Debra Wink a note and see if she can help you out with the details. She's the microbiologist on here.
Hi Chuck,
If you're going to be gone a day, your starter will probably be fine. I often forget to feed mine a time or two and it pops back, no problem. Once you're comfortable with it, it's really not much trouble at all. Temperature does affect it, but also the ratio of food to old starter when you refresh it. If you're going to be gone, add more flour than usual and less old starter. Then it will take longer to use up the food. The whole preocess really is very forgiving. You'll probably find that the more you deal with it, the more you'll come up with ideas and solutions that fit your schedule and how your starter reacts. To me that's a lot of the fun and satisfaction of using wild yeast.
:-Paul
After you feed a starter and let it ferment for 8 hours or so, you can chuck it in the fridge for up to a week or two, and it will still be viable, in my experience, so you hardly need fret about being gone all day long one day.