I have an on-again-off-again relationship with wheat. Now that I’m on (in moderation) I ordered a sourdough starter. I have heard that sourdough is easier to digest (among the same “studies” that glorify red wine and dark chocolate, but I digress) and I can confirm it is the most delicious way to eat wheat.
This is the starter I ordered from Cultures for Health. I rehydrated it according to the package directions and have been keeping it alive and well since then. Even with a weekly loaf of bread and pizza, I cannot use up all of the starter.
The best way to use up starter is to use it up. I would love more time to bake or whip up sourdough pancakes for my sweetie every morning. The second best is to share it with a friend. I don’t have someone to share with locally (Or do I? Call me!) so I dry it out to easily share by mail.
I keep my sourdough starter in the refrigerator and feed it the day before I plan on using it, then leave it out on the counter. I use a ratio of one part each of starter, flour, and water by weight.
To preserve the extra starter, tear a piece of parchment twice the width of a rimmed baking sheet and fold in half. Place a small amount of starter between the two layers of paper and smooth so there is a very thin layer of starter spread evenly.
Allow this to dry at room temperature for a few days. If the sourdough has been spread thin enough and has had enough time to dry it should shatter when you crush it. Keep the shards in a sealed glass jar at room temperature.
When you would like to share the starter, or if your active starter dies, crush the dried starter to have about a tablespoon of powder. Follow the instructions I used on Cultures for Health to feed the starter and eventually have enough for baking.
Sourdough is a bit more tedious than general baking but I find it is definitely worth the effort. Our favorite recipe is this pizza crust. It makes a thin, flexible crust that we love to eat week after week. The recipe says to sit in the fridge overnight, but I usually forget to plan that far ahead. I feed the starter one night, mix the dough the next morning and let it rise at room temperature all day, and we eat pizza that night.
While I was in the kitchen I thought I’d snap a few updates on my decor.
I finally updated my calendar towel to the “current” year. 2018 shares the same calendar with 1962, among others. Here’s the site I use to easily figure out which of my vintage calendar towels to hang.
All of my crocheted potholders are up. They are safety-pinned to a piece from an old wire storage unit. I have shown this in a thrift haul video before when it was much less full, so it is easy to see how I set it up.
Many of my African violets are in bloom. Many need to be potted or repotted. Some are more prolific than others and I have many to share. I thought of donating them to my favorite thrift shop. Wouldn’t it just make your day to visit a thrift shop and find houseplants?
April is usually my month to doctor all of my houseplants but, like most of my fun, it will be pushed back to May.
What is your favorite way to enjoy sourdough starter?
