King Arthur Flour – Sourdough Starter Tips 5

(CONTINUED) “In a couple of hours you may see tiny bubbles appear on the
surface. If so, cheer your brew on by keeping it warm and covered
overnight. In the morning, celebrate by making sourdough pancakes (which
you’ll find …in our “King Arthur

Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook”). They are delicious and quick. Give the
remaining starter another feeding, let it sit for 12 more hours to ensure
its reawakened vigor before you tuck it back in the frig. Then quietly
heave a sigh of relief and congratulate yourself on your rescue.” How to
Decide if You Need to Start Over (groan):

“If your sourdough begins to mold or develop a peculiar color or odor
instead of a “clean, sour aroma,” give a sigh, throw it out and, if you’re
patient, start again. Along with the vital yeasts, you may have
inadvertently nurtured a strain of bacteria that will not be wonderful in
food. This happens very infrequently so don’t let this possibility
dissuade you from a sourdough adventure.”

Starter Variations:

“Here are some variations on the basic flour/liquid/yeast combination that
will produce sourdough starters with different personalities.

*Substitute 1 cup of stone ground whole wheat flour for 1 of the unbleached
all-purpose flour.

*For tap water, substitute water from cooking potatoes.
It contains nutrients which any kind of yeast loves and along with making
the yeast happy, it creates great flavor in bread.

*Substitute buttermilk for tap water.