Tell us a story about "sourdough starter"

[Inchworm]

I just learned that someone my daughter knows has had the same lot of dough for 18 years. I can only assume the person who gave it to her had it just as long.

The best I can figure is that you actually feed it to keep it alive!

Since I can't grow stuff in the snow I may just try to make me some --somehow--

I am just imagining. If this batch of dough is 18+ years old, being separated and passed down from a friend, I bet a family who cooks/bakes may have had batches passed down through the ages.

It's possible I'm just over thinking again. I've been taking my pills! Honest!

Do you have any stories/experiences to share?

What say ye?

:hi:

[supernova]

1. Meet Herman

you basically have a yeast colony for a pet. As long as you feed it a little sugar and flour a couple of times a week, you can have starter for life, and possibly for your grandchildren. :-)

:P

Herman is a sourdough starter that was popular in the midwest and has made the rounds. :-) My mom had some and kept it going for about a year. It is a lot of work though.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Herman-Sourdough-Starter/Detail.aspx

[Inchworm]

2. That's what we are going to do

Well, I plan to yoink some of my daughter's once she figures it out. :D

:hi:

[haele]

3. My mom had a friend who worked at one of the older San Fransisco Sourdough bakeries

The friend had access to a sourdough starter that was at the time 50 years old, apparently started in the mid-20's with mashed potatoes, summer wheat flour, and cheap,(illegal at the time) Mexican beer. She apparently received one cup for a favor (still unknown to me, but obviously had something to do with getting into grad school at UC Berkley...mom was a secretary to a dean there at the time)

She still makes bread from it - when I was growing up, every two weeks, we'd at have at least one loaf of bread and some very crispy sourdough waffles as she "fed" the starter.
It's rumored that one of the old San Fransisco restaurants has a starter from the 1880's.

Haele

[Inchworm]

4. That's awesome!

Ok, I didn't overthink it :P

I bet someone studies these in some way. It would make a neat paper.

:woohoo:

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Can I get an introduction to that dear lady?

Lucky, lucky you!

JL2, salivating

[Gormy Cuss]

5. It's a mother.

No, not a "mutha," silly Inchy. A mother sponge.
:D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sourdough

[Inchworm]

10. And I'd be taking care of her?

Hmm.. I may need to rethink this :D

:hi:

[buzzycrumbhunger]

6. You need this book:

Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book will tell you everything you want to know about sourdoughs (and others!) The desem (a whole wheat sourdough that I think predates the rye versions) is to die for. Definitely a pain to have to keep alive if you don't like to bake regularly, but you can also use it for crackers, pancakes, and other goodies. Winter is the perfect time to start one because you need the cool, slow fermentation.

What makes the rounds as "Friendship Bread" is not necessarily friendly. You have to really want a sourdough and seek it out. You don't just foist it off on unsuspecting people just so you don't have to throw out excess because then you're forcing an onerous responsibility on people who might not even bake.

FWIW, I also heartily recommend Laurel's regular cookbook. They use eggs and dairy (which can be easily swapped out for better choices), but it can be a great introduction to vegetarian cooking. Both books are the kind you read almost cover to cover, not just looking for one recipe--so go hardcover if you can.

[Inchworm]

11. On my list

No, the person giving the starter to my daughter is her LaLeche(sp) leader. It isn't one of those haphazard pass alongs. I never met her but I'm glad she is around. It's cool to see my daughter's "inner-hippie" come out. :P

People always called me things along those lines, and she scoffed. Now, I am sure I call her a hippie once a daqy :rofl:

I'll look into those books.

:woohoo:

[siligut]

7. I made some when I was in college.

I mixed up dough and placed it outside to gather naturally occurring yeasts. I then took it to my microbiology lab to determine what I had. It looked good, but my TA determined then that I might be a little crazy. I just considered it useful science and kept that going for about a year, baking bread for gifts and dinners. It was very good bread really. My friends knew what I had done and they just wanted more hot, buttered, homemade sourdough bread.

[Inchworm]

12. Sounds yummy

I looked at a few pictures, and it really did look like a science experiment :D

:hi:

[seemunkee]

9. I have some in the fridge

I use it mostly for pizza dough. After using some I just add a small equal amount(by weight) of water and flour each day until I build it back up. I know there are some very old strains out there.

[Inchworm]

13. I was wondering that

I read that if you "let it go" too far, you may need to feed it to bring it back to life.

I have houseplants that are similar :D

:hi:

Note: water plants tomorrow