Sourdough Starter

By Christie

Starters, those homemade slurries of flour, water, yeast and sugar, are the backbone of great breads. Since the day of Byzantium and Phaeronic Egypt, little bits of natural candida have been dropping from the ether and fermenting blobs of flour and water.

Ingredients

• 3 (1/4 - ounce) packets dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation

Step 1

1. Dissolve yeast in water in a large plastic container (gallon-size works well). Add sugar. When yeast bubbles (about 10 min.), stir in flour until you have a smooth paste.
2. Cover loosely to allow gases to escape and place in a warm spot in your kitchen 2 to 3 days. The mixture should bubble and give off a sour odor. Stir starter once a day, making sure to stir in any crust that's formed. After this point, you can store starter in the refrigerator or leave it out in a cool, dark area of you kitchen.
3. Feed starter by stirring in 1 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup water every day if you leave it out, or every few days if it's refrigerated; otherwise, it we become too acidic and eventually die.
4. Once starter has grown a few weeks and has reached full strength, you can decrease feedings to once a week.
5. If you don't use your starter regularly, it's going to get unruly and burst the bounds of its container. Give some away to friends along with feeding and baking instructions.