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Sourdoughs International Starter

sue cardiff's picture
sue cardiff

Sourdoughs International Starter

I recently purchased a starter from Sourdoughs International and had disappointing results. When the starter arrived I immediately broke out the instructions for revival and got to work. The recommended procedure was straightforward and was estimated to take only a few days, but unfortunately mine turned out to be dead on arrival and never revived. It just sat there lifeless for about a week. I had ordered from them years ago with good results and have also purchased starters from King Arthur. Reviving these stater cultures is not rocket science and I have never had a failure.

I emailed them to report my problem, and over the next few days exchanged several emails with them to answer numerous questions about how I had proceeded to revive the culture. It became obvious that the person on the other end was determined  to find something I had done that was not according to their instructions, and then they hit it! I had used a 1 quart Pyrex bowl to revive the culture instead of the recommended 1 quart canning jar; thus I had failed to follow the instructions.

Based on this discovery they refused to replace the starter. I will not ever use or recommend this company again and hope none of you do not experience the same pitiful customer service that I did.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

I agree with you.  Thanks for the info.

IceDemeter's picture
IceDemeter

what the difference is between the glass of the Pyrex and the glass of a not-named-manufacturer canning jar (that's important - if they didn't name a specific manufacturer), and spell out explicitly how that glass difference could negatively impact the revival of the starter.

Sheesh - I know customer service is a declining thing, but that is beyond nuts...  Sorry for your experience, and thanks for the heads-up.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Or you can make one from scratch in a week or two.

Not sure why anyone would buy starter. 

In perfect conditions (around 78F and timing the feedings well) one can get a starter born within a week and ready to start baking with. 

sue cardiff's picture
sue cardiff

....I wanted to try an exotic culture, in this case The Red Sea culture. That is why. Yes, I have made starters from scratch.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Found in starters from San Francisco has been found in starters from all over the world. Only certain cultures are able to populate a starter so our starters are not as exotic to each other as once thought. And by the time you've fed this new culture with local flour it's changed anyway. What one cannot buy is the effort made to make one and this makes your bread taste even better! 

I agree that I've often been curious and sometimes tempted to try other starters but for me the biggest pleasure is making my own. More unique and you can't buy it anywhere. 

But i see where you're coming. Sorry if I offended in any way.

sue cardiff's picture
sue cardiff

There are many accomplished bakers who maintain that cultures not native to their area do retain their origins. I have followed the arguments about this subject for many years and don't know the answer, but I decided to give it try. Too bad it did not work out.

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

And agree with you. Pyrex or glass will not make a difference. I use tupperware and have no problem. I just think you were unlucky but they shouldn't use this as an excuse to not replace the starter. Not nice on their part. 

Perhaps you're right and possibly there could be a uniqueness. I always thought that everyone's starter was kinda unique but only in nuances of the starter. Some more tangy and other more mellow etc. Just depends on which bacteria/yeast is the most dominant but largely the array of bacteria/yeasts are the same. 

I'd be curious too, just to see for myself i suppose but I do love to make my own. 

Hope you sort this out and you're able to satisfy your curiosity. I'd be interested! 

Ford's picture
Ford

I agree with the comments made above.. Meanwhile, I recommend you try Debra Wink's  Pineapple Solution enter the search in the above box. In two weeks you should have a useable starter.

Ford

Trevor J Wilson's picture
Trevor J Wilson

One can never know if the exact microbiota of a starter changes or not (short of testing). Even a minute change means that the culture is no longer the same. But I find that to be mostly just theoretical and irrelevant. I've worked with many many starters, and many (not all) of them will keep their characteristics.

This is what matters to the baker. 

If the flavor and other characteristics of the starter remain the same, then as far as the baker is concerned the starter is the same. If some new yeast or bacteria happened to make its way into the culture without having any noticeable effect on its character then it really makes no difference.

I've worked with starters that kept their characteristics, and I've worked with starters that lost their characteristics and became more like what I would consider a "local" breed. It's not an either/or kind of thing. Some will change, some will not. 

So when you purchase a starter (or get one from a local bakery or a friend) it's an attempt at acquiring a starter with a predetermined set of characteristics that you hope will keep. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. But you never know until you try. 

I see no problem with that.

Personally, while I love creating new starters from scratch -- and I've created probably a hundred in my day -- I also love experimenting and baking with starters that I acquire from other sources. I've worked with enough starters to have lost any sentimentality when it comes them (I've never named a starter). I understand the joy of creating, nurturing and baking with your very own homegrown culture. I've been there myself. But over time, I've come to view starters as just another tool in the toolbox. If you're happy with the tool you've got, then cool. But if you'd like to play with a few others then have at it. 

Out of all the starters I've personally made, about half or more end up pretty much identical (when it comes to their characteristics). And that's despite making them in different ways with different ingredients. The other half or so have some noticeable differences, and a select few have stood out as truly unique (a couple of which I regret having let slip through my fingers). I'll probably never tire of making new starters, nor will I tire of trying out starters that I didn't personally make. 

But I understand that many folks get attached to their own personal starters that they made from scratch. Nothing wrong with that. Making starters is fun and satisfying. And especially if it was a struggle at first to get it strong and vigorous, that period of trial can create all the more attachment to the thing. Like I said, I've been there.

Now, getting back to the great debate as to whether starters will keep or change, I can say that in my experience some will keep and some will change. I've kept up to 5 different starters going all at once with each maintaining its own unique characteristics despite being kept in near proximity, being fed at the same times with the same flours at the same hydration without disinfecting my hands between feedings (just rinsing off with water). But again, under the same conditions I've also had many starters that do change.

You never know whether a starter will change or keep. All you can do is play with it and find out for yourself. 

Cheers!

Trevor

Doc.Dough's picture
Doc.Dough

Sourdough International literature is filled with misconceptions and unsubstantiated wives tales, and in my experience their starters are not reliable (as you have demonstrated).  I have for some time been recommending (to people who ask) that they order a starter from King Arthur when the weather is cool since it does spend a few days in the mail.  I have never had anybody report to me anything but success when they have ordered from King Arthur. Of course the fastest way to get a viable starter is from a (geographically) close friend. The best way to start from scratch seems to be the pineapple juice approach.  And the best help seems to come from Mini Oven :-)

HansB's picture
HansB

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The Roadside Pie King's picture
The Roadside Pi...

I am on day four of the Pineapple juice solution. I had a great starter made with this method and Mini ovens help, a few years ago. The weather has been chilly here in NYC, the going is a bit slow. I am confident things will progress. Many recommend the friends of carl as a culture source, free, is a good price! http://carlsfriends.net/

Jodi L's picture
Jodi L

i am the gal she is talking about. I sent out a replacement culture to her. After countless emails of her insulting and threatening me. I was trying to see what may have gone wrong so it would not happen with the replacement culture. It was not the container that was the problem. It was not sealed. With our culture, there needs to be a sealed cover on it so the gasses can work. I tried my hardest to work with this lady. We have thousands of very happy customers. I hope this doesn’t stop peop from trying our wonderful product. 

HansB's picture
HansB

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