Culturing, Growing and Baking with a Range of Wild Yeasts
This Forum Topic will hopefully provide a location for those interested in all forms of Wild Yeast. While certainly most of us are well aware of the sourdough type of wild yeast, many may be unaware that there are countless other useful wild yeast. I was recently introduced to a impressively large group of other wild yeast - As Akiko explained "In Japanese, we call it " MIZU SHU" -水種 (水ーWater 種ーYeast)".
With the help, translations, and veteran comments of RobynNZ and Mini Oven I had captured, grown, and baked bread from an Apple Water Yeast in 4 (four) days.
My first introduction came when Daisy_A suggested I might find a 2 year old TFL thread of interest, and I did find it fascinating. Wao started the thread here on TFL, but also has a very informative website devoted to original yeast water. Whether you call it Yeast Water, or Water Yeast is unimportant, but the process is rich with possibilities for those interested in expanding their choices in home bread baking with a variety of wild yeast levain.
If any of this sounds interesting, you might wish to look at these links, for starters (no pun intended):
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/6012/baking-natural-wild-yeast-water-not-sourdough [1]
http://originalyeast.blogspot.com/ [2]
and most recently, where I got pulled into this interest area:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20460/banana-saga-%E9%95%B7%E7%AF%87%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B#comment-141821 [3]
It was thus that Yeasty 雛菊 Yeasty 亜希子 Yeasty 雷朗書家
..........that is Daisy, Akiko, and I, considered starting this Forum Topic.
Ron 雷朗
************ Update Warning ********** 101122
Akiko (teketeke) mentioned to me something that I thought I should warn anyone trying to make yeast waters levains about. Certain fruits should not be used for yeast waters intended for leavening bread. They are those fruits (or vegetables) that contain Actinidain (or actinidin) kiwi, pineapple, mango and papaya. This protease enzyme breaks down protein. If you make a yeast water from these fruits, you can still use it as a meat tenderize, but NOT in your bread dough.
************ Update For Details on methods READ postings below ********** 110222
Or, start here:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/20693/culturing-growing-and-baking-range-wild-yeasts#comment-143857 [4]