Ginger Beer Starter

Cook the potatoes in the water until tender. Drain off liquid and add more
water if necessary to make 3 full cups again. Put potatoes through food
mill or sieve. Scald the corn meal in 1 cup of the potato water until it
reaches the boiling point and thickens, stirring constantly to be sure that
no lumps form. Now combine the sieved potatoes, 2 cups potato water, corn
meal mixture, sugar and salt in large bowl (do not use metal or plastic).
Let cool until just warm. Pour the cold beer slowly into a large glass.
Immediately skim off all the foam and stir into the mixture in the bowl.
Cover tightly and set in warm place (80 to 85) until fermentation is
complete. In warm, humid weather this will take about 24 hours. In cold
weather it may require several more hours for the starter to become foamy
throughout. Stir occasionally during the process. Pour into a large (about
2 quart size) glass container and store in the refrigerator at about 38
degrees. Do not put the lid on tightly until the working has subsided.

Let starter ripen about 3 days until 1/2 inch or more of clear liquid has
risen to top. Stir thoroughly each time before a portion is removed for
baking. When the supply has been reduced to about 1 cupful or a little
more, repeat the beginning process with the exception that no more beer
foam needs to be used. When the mixture of potatoes, potato water, corn
meal mixture, salt and sugar are well blended and cool, add the remainder
of the old starter and stir well. Cover and set in a warm place until
fermented as before (8 to 12 hours). Store in refrigerator and let ripen
again until the clear liquid comes to the top before starting to use from
this new supply.

“Using the recipe for Beer Starter, substitute 1/2 cup English Ginger Beer
(found in either brown glass bottles or tin cans in the gourmet sections of
most supermarkets) for the foam from chilled beer. This makes the very
best smelling starter I have ever worked with.”