Buttermilk Yeast
I found this recipe today while going over some old recipe cards that appeared in the back of a kitchen drawer. I'm certain I copied it out of a paperback book on sourdough breads, years ago. I can't find the book nor do I remember its' title or author. I've never tried the recipe, though I'll likely give it a go soon.
Does anyone here know anything more about it?
BUTTERMILK YEAST
2 Cups Buttermilk
3 Cups corn meal
1pkg dry yeast
½ tsp salt
¼ C warm water
Sterilized corn meal
white flour
Scald 2 C buttermilk with 3 C corn meal over low fire, stirring until a smooth mush is achieved.
When cooled to warm, add yeast dissolved in ¼ cup warm water. Let stand. When it rises, stir it down and let rise again 3 times.
Add enough sterilized corn meal and white flour in equal amounts to make very stiff dough. Use a rounded teaspoon to make each cake.
Dip in corn meal. Lay on trays of absorbent paper and dry at room temp. Turn often and change paper as needed.
Store in fridge. 1 cake=1 pack dry yeast in starters and overnight sponges.
Sterilize corn meal in oven at low temp for 1 hour.. Stir often. Do not allow to burn.
Comments
I have several old cookbooks that talk about how to make potato yeast or hops yeast. If you wanted to make a yeast you could keep in the pantry, you added cornmeal to make a thick dough and dried it thoroughly in the pantry or hung it in a bag on the stove back to dry. Store boughten yeast was expensive!