We’re still talking sourdough starter!
Need to catch up!? Here’s Sourdough Starter Day 1 and Sourdough Starter Day 2 and 3!
Mine seems to be happy and growing. It might almost be time to preheat the griddle for those pancakes.
Jump on over and see the results of days of flour, water and bacteria.
Here’s a step by step reminder of the Sourdough Starter Dump and Feed Project.
1. Stir your starter. This might mean stirring the hooch (the yellowish liquid layer) back into your starter.
2. Remove one cup of starter and either use it in a recipe, or if your starter is new, discard.
3. Add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water to your remaining starter. (I accidentally added a cup of both flour and water. I wasn’t thinking straight, but I don’t think it’s a big deal.)
4. Stir. (I usually stir until most of the lumps are gone, but I don’t have the patience to get all the lumps out of my starter. It still seems to be happy.)
5. Put the lid back on your starter, making sure to leave the lid ajar to let some air in.
Are you having trouble with pesky fruit flies trying to get at your starter!? Oh no! You might try draping a clean, thin dish towel over your jar, over the entire jar, with the lid underneath the towel ajar. Does anyone have any better ideas?
September 13th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I had problems with bugs too - i just removed the lid and draped it with a cheese cloth to allow air circulation.
September 13th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
I think the dish towel would be most effective for repelling little pests.
Today I’m attempting bread. Will post my results later.
September 13th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Im on day 3? A couple more and we will see where its at. I love this science experiment!
September 13th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
It’s been only 48 hours but today my starter was very puffy (it almost overflowed!) and when I stirred the hooch back in, it was very frothy. I’ve moved it to another container and will give it a few more days on the counter. I can’t wait to make bread!
September 13th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Ugh, I hate fruit flies. My cousin got a little Venus flytrap plant in a tiny pot that actually took care of her fruit fly trouble over the summer. Pretty smart I thought.
September 14th, 2008 at 12:32 am
yay! thank you…
Im starting my starter tomorrow.
I cant wait to see what youre going to do! I’m on the ride!
September 14th, 2008 at 5:06 am
Thanks Joy for sharing the sourdough experiment. It was fun and my bread turned out great! (Pictures here.)
September 14th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
I keep a small cup filled with apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish liquid next to my fruit (and other attractions) The fruit flies are attracted to it (above all else) but the detergent breaks the surface tension and they can’t fly away. I’m sure putting it near the sourdough would work too.
September 14th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
g’day mate (writing from australia)
I am new to your site and I must say I adore it! it has become a daily ritual. I am so excited to try these new recipes and I of course have my pet murgatroy growing and bubbling away.
ps: thank you for the cinnamon rolls!! my sentiments exactly
September 15th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
[...] wait to see his reaction. I rarely let cookie dough chill before baking it. I’ve never made a sourdough starter because the thought of waiting for days for something to come to fruition would drive me to drink [...]
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:49 pm
[...] Sourdough Starter: day four and five [...]