Starters for bread i

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
SOUR RYE STARTER
2 cups Rye flour
1½ cup Warm water
1 each Package dry yeast
1 slice Onion

Directions

Mix the flour, water, yeast, and onion together in a wide-mouth quart jar. Cover with a cloth and put in a warm place for 3 or 4 days or until it is well fermented, frothy, and smells pleasantly sour.

Remove the onion. Either use, or seal and refrigerate. Can be used as part of the sponge in all sour rye breads. SAN FRANCISCO STARTER 1 cup milk 1 cup unbleached or all-purpose flour Pour the milk in a glass jar or bowl and leave uncovered at room temperature for a day.

Measure in the flour, stir and leave uncovered in a warm place for two to five days, depending on how soon the bacteria begin the fermentation process. If the mixture should dry out, stir in a little warm milk. When the starter is bubbly, frothy, and gives off a pleasantly sour aroma, it is ready. Either use at that time, or cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. A variation of this is to mix the milk and flour together in a 1-quart glass jar, and seal immediately with a rubber sealing ring and a substantial wire clamp.

Allow the mixture to ferment for 5 days. Stir down each day (thereby letting the accumulated gas escape), and replace the lid. This starter obviously relies on the bacteria in the milk. RAW POTATO STARTER 1 cup warm water 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp EACH salt and sugar 1 medium potato, grated Mix together the water, flour, salt, and sugar in a 2-cup measure. Add graded potato sufficient to make a full 2 cups. Pour the mixture into a wide-mouth glass jar or small bowl that will hold about 1 quart (to allow for expansion during fermentation). Place a piece of cheesecloth over the container and allow it to rest in a warm place for 24 hours. Stir and cover tightly with plastic wrap which will retain the moisture. The mixture will become light and foamy in 2 or 3 days. Stir down each day. Pour the fermented starter into a glass jar, fitted with a tight lid, and place in the refrigerator. In 3 or 4 days, when a clear liquid collects on top of the mixture, it will have ripened sufficiently to use. HONEY STARTER 1 package yeast 2 ½ cups warm water 2 Tbsp honey 2 ½ cups unbleached or all-purpose flour Combine the yeast, water, honey, and flour in a quart jar which has a tight fitting cover. Seal the jar and let the mixture ferment for 5 days, stirring daily.

Replenish the starter with water and flour in equal portions.

SHEEPHERDER'S STARTER 1 ¾ cups bread or all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp EACH salt and sugar 1 package dry yeast 2 ½ cups warm water In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, and water.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap to retain the moisture and put in a warm place for 4 days. Each day stir and re-cover. When it has fermented and smells pleasantly sour, it may be used or refrigerated. HOPS STARTER 3 cups water 1 quart fresh hops or ¼ cup packaged dry hops ½ cup cornmeal, white or yellow 2 cups mashed potato 3 Tbsp sugar 2 tsp salt In a saucepan bring water to a boil and steep hops for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid; discard the hops. If necessary add water to make 3 full cups of liquid. Pour 1 cup of the hops liquid in a saucepan and stir in the cornmeal.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. When it thickens slightly, remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl combine cornmeal mixture, mashed potato, sugar, salt, and the remaining 2 cups of hops liquid. Cover the bowl with a length of cheesecloth and set in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours or until well fermented and bubbly. Stir every 8 hours or so during this period. When the starter is frothy and smells pleasantly fermented, pour it into a two-quart glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Store in teh refrigerator until clear liquid has risen to the top of the mixture in about 2 days.

Stir down - and it is ready to use. To replenish when only 1 cup remains: add water, cornmeal, mashed potatoes, sugar, and salt (as to begin). Set in a warm place. It will ferment and become active in about 8 hours. Store in the refrigerator. The Complete Book of Breads From the collection of Jim Vorheis THE HOMESTEAD BBS HST/V32B (615)385-9421

Submitted By SHARON STEVENS On 10-21-94

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