February 23, 2016 - 5:29am
Sourdough starter health check
Hi bakers, I have just come back from holiday and returned to my beloved starter which a friend looked after whilst I was away
How do I know whether your levan / starter is in top health. Have I done the wrong thing, I sprinkled a tiny bit of dried yeast in to the starter to reinvigorate things as it seemed a little lack lustre when I fed it.
Should I start again
Thanks for your help
J
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disappears in a SD starter within 2 24 hour feeding schedules since it can't live in a high acid environment. No need to toss your starter at all. It will take much longer to make new one and this one will be right as rain in a couple of days
Again, I learned something new from one of TFL's most valuable sources for grains/seeds/sprouts/malt/hemp/toadies and dachshunds!
Awed, as always,
Karin
flour and stick it in the fridge If using rye flour that should last 16 weeks in the fridge at least 8 weeks with white flour. Just feed it as normal when you get back.
Ponce your starter is back to full strength spread some thin on a piece of parchment and let it dry out. . Scrape off into a glass jar and put in a cool, dry, dark cupboard. If your old starter dies just rehydrate this one and in 24 hours you are back in business.
Quoting Bertinet, even when your starter smells like cheese, looks dark, or has a puddle on top - as long as there's no fuzzy growth on it, you can scrape off the top layer with a tablespoon, and use some of the lighter colored, spongier bottom layer to resuscitate it.
Feed it a few times, until it's lively and active, and it will be like new (been there - done that!)
Karin