Pineapple juice starter
My brain is starting to smoke from information overload, my finger tips are biga.......ooops.....didn't I mean burning? And my eyes are starting to see sourdough angels dancing in the sky. Am I on another planet? Anyhow, with all the millions of opinions, websites and suggestions.....oiy, I noticed an article (here) concerning Debra Wink's pineapple juice starter. With all her knowledge, education and background, I decided to use her starter. Ultimately, once the starter is done proofing, (is that the right word for finished), I would like opinions about how to maintain it in the refrigerator. Furthermore, I read an article somewhere (was I dreaming), something about using carbonated water or something like that, to add for a liquid when maintaining the starter.
Keep refreshing the starter. Discard half; add to the remaining, non chlorinated water, and flour in the ratio, starter/ water/flour = 1/1/1 by weight. Do this daily for two weeks and the starter should be ready for use. It will take about a month for it to be mature, but usable before. You may refrigerate it any time after it becomes active and refresh less often.
Ford
Thanks for taking the time to reply and the helpful info.
I used the pineapple method nearly a year ago now and I keep two jars of about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of starter in the fridge. I usually use the starter straight from the fridge without any problems, except the time before last, where I rushed the whole process and had my first flop in months.
I make the sponge/preferment with the starter straight out the fridge, scraping most of it out of the jar into the bowl, leaving about a teaspoon/tablespoon left in the jar. I add some water to the jar, put the lid on, shake it up, then add some wholewheat flour, mix and either put back in the fridge or let it bubble up a bit on the bench.
Thanks for the reply.
Then think about maintenance. If everyone goes into their own personal method of how they maintain their starter it'll only be more confusing. To make things easier just concentrate at the task in-hand and cross that bridge when you come to it. After saying that i'll very briefly (and hopefully non confusingly) explain how I keep mine.
Never heard of using carbonated water. Plain water is just fine.
Very informative. Thanks