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Sourdough question
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cfdr
Posted 3/19/2021 19:32 (#8903917 - in reply to #8901902)
Subject: RE: Sourdough question


WesterOne is clearly knowledgeable about this. My knowledge if only from personal experience from nearly 50 years ago in Alaska, and when we moved down to the farm in MN, sourdough did not act quite the same.

Yes, it can die - but you will know it died, IMHO. It will be strong - like ammonia, as I remember. This happens when you do not feed it for too long of a time. It can happen much quicker if you have been feeding it every day and it gets too active - and then you forget to feed it. All the little bugs die. If it is near dead, you might be able to resurrect it by slowly feeding it, but it might be simply better to start over with new potato water and flour and a little bit of yeast.

I believe it is never good to knead the dough more than once. Once you get the new flour mixed in really good, just let it rise once and pop it into the oven. If you need to knead it again, you might try a bit of yeast. Or, a bit of soda will react and make for a lot of immediate activity, as I remember, but you will pretty much kill the sourdough flavor. Some people like it that way, but I like it on the edge of sour rather than too bland tasting.

If you go every other day, that seems to be a good compromise between activity and flavor. Three days between feedings, and you are pushing it - depending on what temperature your starter is kept at, of course. In the fridge, it will keep quite awhile until you take it out and warm it up. But, the longer you go in-between feedings the more sour it will taste. But, again, if you push it too far, it will die.

i really don't know how they manage to get lightness in the bread - but still get that sour taste. You might experiment with going three days between feeding - and adding a touch of yeast when you make the bread. My experience, as I remember, is that two days is about right for pancakes. Note, however, that I never added fresh flour to the starter for pancakes. I had a large jar with a good amount of starter - poured out what i wanted for pancakes - and added the flour to the starter so it would be ready again in two days. To the starter I poured out for pancakes, i added a bit of oil and a couple of eggs and a bit of sugar, and it was ready to pour onto the griddle. You can experiment with separating the egg whites and beating them separate for some fluff, but I actually got to like the sourdough cakes flat better - as I said - I loved the real sourdough flavor. I would fry an egg and put it on top of the pancake - and the combination was perfect.

But for bread - knead it once and pop it into the oven after giving it a few hours - or however long it takes - and it is good. Substantial, but good. Especially good when used to make french toast - slice it thin.

I live in the Hills here in SD. If you were in Dickinson, I could run up and give you a lesson . . . It's been a long time since i've tasted really good sourdough. (BG)
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