Sunday, August 27, 2006

It's a Start!

About 2-3 years ago, my mom started making our bread. We don't regularly buy bread from the store anymore. When my parents moved, we had to throw out the starter. I have not been able to make any until just this week. I didn't realize how much I missed the homemade bread! Anyway, I had to find the right kind of starter. Thank good ness for allrecipes.com. They had the potato flake/sugar starter that we sused. SO, to get this "series" off to a good start, let's make some sourdough starter! Don't be afraid...it's easy!

Starter
1 cup warm water
3 T instant potato flakes
3 T sugar
2 teaspoons (1 square package) yeast

Combine these ingredients in a glass jar. Stir well. Seal and leave on the counter. Stir every day for five days. On the fifth day, add 1 cup warm water, 3 T potato flakes, and 3 T sugar*. Leave out until the next day. Use amount called for in bread recipe.

After each use, feed with 1 cup warm water, 3 T potato flakes, and 3 T sugar*. Leave out for 12 hours and then refrigerate. Try to refeed every 5 days (if you don't, it WON'T ruin!).

*The starter we used before the move called for 2/3 cup sugar on each feed, so I use around 5-6 T as a "compromise!"

Come back to see how to use this little "tool" in your kitchen!
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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:22 AM

    I have made sourdough bread for years, the kids loved it growing up. But had to throw the starter out a couple of yrs ago when remodeling the kitchen. Just a few months ago a friend gave me some starter so I'm back in business! I have never made my own starter from scratch but had read about it, how fun that you have made it! And impressive, I'm lazy and just get it from someone else!

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  2. The Cookbook Junkie1:11 PM

    I can't wait to see the bread!

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  3. Anonymous1:49 PM

    I got some starter from my sister (Gail) and feed it weekly. My bread making days are on Wednesday (feed the starter that morning, with water, potato flakes and sugar, but a lot more sugar than your recipe calls for!), make the dough that night, then make the loaves Thursday AM and bake Thursday PM. We love the fresh bread as well, and I've stopped buying store-bought bread altogether.

    Great post, can't wait to see how it turns out! I'm totally amazed that you have time to do this girl :)

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  4. Unknown2:24 PM

    Gail - We love to add whole wheat to it to make it a little more "healthy." I had never made the starter before either, but Mama and I both needed some and didn't have source!

    Paula - Just wait for tonight! The picture's not great, but it tastes good!

    Stacy - I love having homemade bread. I only buy bread on occasion. Sometimes I just need that soft, air-filled bought texture. As you know, baking bread dosen't really require that much hands on time. It's actually fun for me! I like kneeding it!

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  5. Annie6:21 PM

    Wow, that is so cool. I can't wait to see the finished product.

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  6. Rachel Ruff3:45 PM

    Wow thanks Claire for the focaccia advice and I am also going to use your cornbread recipe for the dinner tonight. Have fun watching 24! (when I figure out how to add links I will add your link to my blog ;-)

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