can't wait till new year, started "starter" tonite
Hello folks,
I said would venture into sourdough bread next year after almost a year of making soft rolls, loaves and sweet breads with yeast in 2009. I am now graduating into sourdough as part of my education. I planned to start after the new year, but i just can't wait. So I started tonite and used the tutorial by gaarp. I am mentally prepared to have all kinds of oohhs and ahhhs and aha and OMG, what went wrong type of reactions.
I'll take it one step at a time, starting with gaarp's tutorial. If after a week I can't sustain the culture, I'll try the pineapple juice method. My first and only question for now is: do you cover your container tightly with saran wrap or cover it lightly without the wrap hugging and sealed to the container? The picture on gaarp looks like it's a loose wrap.
Anyone care to comment? My glass container is a large pyrex measuring bowl with a rubber lid but I did not use the rubber lid.
Thanks all.
Lightly. Realistically, it shouldn't matter much since you won't keep the container wrapped long enough to suffocate your culture, but the idea is to just keep the starter moist and unwanted particles out.
thank you, much appreciated, caltrain!
Good luck.. I found it rather fun & entertaining to grow your own bacteria! I've got a nice vigorous 50% hydrated starter running (I cheated and sent away for some of Carl's free starter that comes dried -- the price was right -- two stamps).. I did try growing my own twice -- just keep at it even though it may stink (mine did -- my wife didn't want to be around when I opened it up since it smelled like a stinky garbage can) -- luckily that only lasts a while before it gets better..
Don't worry if your starter, before reaching the third day (when at least the first bubbles of life appear, depending on many conditions) it begins to smell something like "rotten eggs"...just keep on with the recipe you chose...The smell (or bad smell)of the sourdough is something you won't read so much about, even if many many folks explain every step of their sourdough starter...I personally used only flour and water and if I'm not wrong, the 27 of this month will be 2 years old! To me changing from yeast to sourdough is a bit like when you changed your internet connection from dialup to broadband: you just do not want to change it!
Good luck and feel free to write me for any question. Saludos desde Quito, Ecuador. Paolo
muchas gracias for your comments (I studied Spanish all throughout grade school, high school and after university, but I neglected it as I had to focus on French - to survive in Montreal!). Wow, 2 years old! Yes, Peter Reinhart said that some starters last long as 150 years.
i liked your comparison to broadband. neat!
write you in french or italian (mother tongue) if you wish, keep me informed with the litle pets you re growing up! Cheers from Quito
By the way: i' m planning a 3 days lasting panettone with my sourdough...I' ll let you know!
thank you for your comment. yes, i'm prepared for that garbage smell and all the nasty things that can happen. i've got a back up plan (pineapple juice) if this one fails. since i'm just a beginner in sourdough, i anticipate a steep learning curve!
ah mais oui, je te tiens au courant; tu me diras aussi les résultats du pannetonne, s'il te plait.
merci. joyeuses fetes à toi et à ta famille!
Bonjour ques2008, donc, ça pousse ton premier levain? Tu habites à Montreal...mon fils de 15 ans est en trains de passer ses vacances de Noël à Toronto chez ses cousins, oncle et tante..demain je crois commencer la "nourisson" de mon levain por le panettone! à propos...quand le tien soit suffisemment vigoureux, je te conseil de créer un "backup" en le déshidratant...tu peux le garder dans un vieux pot de mermelade dans un site sec pour quelques situation d' emergence!! Voici aussi un lien trés bon sur le pain au levain : aulevain.canalblog.com tu peux trouver beacoup d' info à ce propos..
j'espère ne pas avoir "tué" le français écrit que j'avais étudié il ya longtemps. Un joyex Noël et un trés bon debút 2010. Paolo et famille
comment ca va mon "starter"? Je pense que c'st trop tot à dire, mais je crois savoir que le mot clé est "patience", beaucoup de patience. Je suis maintenant sur jour # 4, et cela ne pousse pas encore. ayoy...
i better switch to english because this might be offensive to others. anyway, i'm following gaarp's tutorial to the letter and he emphasised "patience."
i'm keeping my fingers crossed that today i'll see some activity. i saw some activity on day 2, not very much though...
ton francais est bon! you speak 4 languages then? incroyable!