Goodnight, Sour Prince
I killed my sourdough starter. There, got that out of the way. It wasn't murder, really, so much as starter slaughter--would that be the correct legal term? Most of you might even know that this happened quite a while back. But I shamelessly kept that little starter thumbnail up there in my sidebar, all proud and loving. But it was wrong. Wrong! So I took it down (though you can still find the About the Starter post under "projects" in the table of contents).
I didn't mean to do it. I thought he was doing okay in the fridge. Then one day I took him out for a feeding... and kind of recoiled back at the sight of a little starter tentacle snaking upward toward the lid--except that it had turned all green and moldy. And kind of frozen.
That's the whole story.
I made another starter easily enough. But I've been having trouble with it--it's weak, unreliable, and too sour. I've actually been considering buying a well-established starter and seeing how it compares. I haven't given up on sourdough altogether! I miss the taste and textures already, because I've lately fallen back on yeast breads. Sad, huh?
I didn't mean to do it. I thought he was doing okay in the fridge. Then one day I took him out for a feeding... and kind of recoiled back at the sight of a little starter tentacle snaking upward toward the lid--except that it had turned all green and moldy. And kind of frozen.
That's the whole story.
I made another starter easily enough. But I've been having trouble with it--it's weak, unreliable, and too sour. I've actually been considering buying a well-established starter and seeing how it compares. I haven't given up on sourdough altogether! I miss the taste and textures already, because I've lately fallen back on yeast breads. Sad, huh?
5 Comments:
Wow, I'm so ignorant. My dad loves making breads every Easter and Thanksgiving but I 've never mastered the recipe myself..one of these days...
I didn't even know what starter was. Good thing I'm sticking to writing about mostly restaurants :)
Damn, I was hoping that your starter story would finish on a happier note... :(
My current starter was born in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in northern California, and then moved to England with its "keeper" where it lived for many years. I was sent a bit (with extra flour added so it was rather solid) several months ago--complete with customs declaration--and have been pretty happy with it. Want some? It'd be cool to share "the starter baked 'round the world."
Mona, you should definitely try bread making. It's very satisfying.
Shammi, yes, my starter project seems to have ended a bit tragically. I just hope others won't read about it and be discouraged from experimenting. I'm sure it's my own fault--part inexperience, part bad baker.
Beth, your starter has such romantic-sounding origins! I'd be thrilled to receive some, but I never feel right asking people to mail things to Japan. I suspect it isn't cheap, regardless of what you send. Thanks so much for offering, however. I'm going to see if I can find starter for sale in Japan.
from Rachel
Hi Violet, thanks for stopping by! Don't worry, the starter doesn't smell at all... unless it gets too hot and exlodes out of its container or something.
from Rachel