*You are receiving an active sourdough starter.
STEPS
1: If you received this starter through shipment, you may need to feed it every 12 hours for 2-5 days to get it bubbly and active again. Leave it on the counter during this process. Once bubbly and doubling in size, you can store it in the refrigerator or leave it on the counter and feed it once a day.
– If you received this starter by local pick-up, you can feed it once a day or put it in the refrigerator after you feed it.
– Feed 1:1:1 (1 part starter, 1 part flour, and 1 part water) . It should be a thick pancake-like batter texture. (If you want to build your starter, do 1 part starter, 2 parts flour, and 2 parts water)
2: Once fed, let it rise. Rise-time will differ based on the temperature of your home. The warmer it is, the faster the rise and fall of your starter.
– You will know it is ready when it has, at least, doubled (may rise more) and the dome shape at the top flattens out. There will be bubbles. The size of the bubbles does not matter.
3: To maintain your starter, it will depend on if you want to bake every day or not. The refrigerator is a good place to store your starter until you are ready to feed it. It can go weeks without being fed in the refrigerator (dependent on temperature). If you leave it on the counter every day, it will need to be fed, at least, once a day.
Pro Tips
• You can always grow your starter to be however big you need it. (I like to bake multiple breads throughout the week so I bulk my starter for one day, and create 4-5 bread doughs with that starter, which I then store in the refrigerator to bake once a day throughout the week)
• Keep it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
• Use Unbleached flour when feeding. This starter LOVES bread flour.
• You may need to use bottled water if your tap water is harsh. (You can always build up your starter and test your tap water with a portion of your starter)
• Feed at least an equal amount of flour to starter. (I like to eyeball it and always feed a little more than I think it needs)
• Don’t get discouraged. It takes practice.
Things to know:
• A starter is never dead unless it has molded. (Or harsh water has killed the wild yeast)
• It only takes 50 g of starter to make one loaf of bread.
• The starter is what makes your bread rise.
• The good bacteria in starter helps make digestion easier and breaks down gluten. (especially if the dough is left to ferment in the refrigerator for a couple of days before baking)
• The longer the dough is left in the refrigerator, the more sour it becomes.
