Sourdough Starter

Last year, yeast was very hard to find in most grocery stores.   If you like home-made bread, but you suddenly find that you can't get to the store, or the store's shelves are empty, you don't have to despair. You can still make home-made bread by using Sourdough Starter.  This starter has been known to last generations. 

Ingredients

2 c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
2 c. warm water

Mix the flour and yeast together in a 4 quart glass jar or a large bowl. Stir in water and beat until smooth.

Cover loosely with a piece of plastic wrap, waxed paper or a kitchen towel. Let stand for 2 days or 48 hours in a warm location. Stir occasionally. The mixture should have a sour smell, have some bubbles and there will be some clear liquid on the top. However, if your starter turns a strange color, smells really bad or has mold on it, throw it away and start again.

When you are ready to use the starter, remove it from the refrigerator. Stir to blend the liquid that may have formed on the top. Remove the amount of starter you need to make your sourdough bread.

To replenish the starter

If you are going to be making sour dough bread once a week, you will have to give your starter some food to keep it going. You will need at least 1 cup starter left in your container and you will have a never ending supply . . .as long as you keep feeding it. 

Combine 1 cup flour with 1 cup warm water and beat until smooth. Stir into remaining starter. Leave at room temperature for a few hours until mixture begins to bubble. Cover the bowl or jar loosely and place in the refrigerator.

Remember, you will need to feed and replenish the starter once a week. If you don’t plan on using the starter for a week, discard half the mixture. Add 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water into the sour dough starter and stir well.

 If throwing the starter away does not appeal to you, then place it in a container and gift it to someone who will enjoy baking sourdough bread as much as you do.You can also make biscuits, pancakes or pizza dough from it as well.