BBA Barm - Just Use My Starter?
I've read through my new copy of BBA several times and I'm trying to get my head wrapped around it all. The answer to my question below seems obvious but I want to make sure I'm not missing something.
In the book the author gives a multi-step set of instructions for making the 'barm', from which various 'firm starters' will be made on day one according to the recipes for breads that will take two days to make. At one point he calls the barm the 'mother starter'.
Now, to me the barm looks like what many folks would call sourdough starter. So, I've finally arrived at my question: Given that I have a sourdough starter that has been perking away for years now, can't I use that as my 'barm' with no need to make a new one a la' the author's steps? Or does making the barm via the BBA instructions infuse it with special powers?
One thing to consider is that my sourdough starter is fairly sour - it came from Carl's Oregon Trail Starter.