Newbie Question: How do I use the starter if the recipe says "fresh" or "active"?
Okay... so I have no idea what I'm doing. lol Can someone help this newbie?
My plan: Make starter based on some of the wonderful tutorials here. After it's ready to use in bread (6-7 days, as I understand it), put in fridge for storage and feed weekly. (I plan to only make bread once per week.)
So my question is this. Let's say my starter has been sitting in the fridge, and I want to bake loaf of bread with it. And the recipe says to use 1/2 cup "active" or "fresh" starter. So I pull my starter out of the fridge, and then I do what... ????
Like, I can't just scoop out a half cup of starter from my fridge jar and start the recipe, right? That wouldn't be considered "fresh," right?
Do I go through my usual feeding routine and then scoop out the half cup of starter to bake with? Or do I go through my usual feeding routine and then wait a bit (how long?) and then scoop out the half cup of starter to bake with and put the rest in the fridge for next week? I just don't understand it, exactly.
Also, one other question: In this scenario (fridge storage), do I need to change containers every time I feed it? For example, let's say I am planning to feed. And inside my jar is 2 cups of starter. But I want to feed it on the ratio of 1 cup starter, 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup water. Do I just scoop out that extra cup of starter (discard or use in another recipe) and then feed directly in the jar that I've been storing my starter in? Also, if I decide to keep those discards for future recipes (like pancakes or waffles), how long can I keep the discards without feeding them? (You don't feed them, right?)
Thanks for any advice!!