Sourdough Starter

Last March, I got ambitious. I decided to try making my own sourdough starter. Part of the reason is because I'm cheap and didn't want to buy a starter that might flop (looking back, this doesn't really make sense when you see what is involved in making your own). Another reason was that I wanted to start right away and I didn't want to wait for a starter to come in the mail (again, this doesn't make sense since a starter would likely have arrived in the mail in less than a week). Finally, and probably most importantly, I wanted to know exactly what was in my bowl.

This recipe comes from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I've heard from several people who said they didn't care for it. Or maybe they tried making her sourdough bread recipe from another starter and weren't crazy about that. Either way, I understand that it may not work for everyone. But it has worked very well for baking bread so far. I have not used it for muffins or pancakes or other sweet-type baking, but I may get ambitious again soon and branch out!

To begin, you will need two large clean glass/ceramic mixing bowls, approx. 6-qt capacity.

Day 1:

Finely grind 2 cups of organic rye berries.

Add 2 cups of filtered water.

Mix well.

Cover with a doubled sheet of cheesecloth and secure to bowl with a rubber band.

Place in a warm, preferably sunny, place in your kitchen.

Day 2-7:

Finely grind 1 cup of organic rye berries.

Place in a new, clean bowl.

Add 1 cup filter water.

Mix well.

Transfer previous days' starter into the new bowl.

Cover with a doubled sheet of cheesecloth and secure to bowl with a rubber band.

Place in a warm, preferably sunny, place in your kitchen.

Day 8:

Before you feed your starter, remove 4 cups to make bread.

Grind 1 cup organic rye berries.

Place in new, clean bowl.

Add 1 cup filtered water.

Mix well.

Transfer previous days' starter into the new bowl.

Cover with a doubled sheet of cheesecloth and secure to bowl with a rubber band.

Place in a warm, preferably sunny, place in your kitchen.

Repeat for three days and bake more bread or share some starter with a friend.

Here are a couple of tips that might prove helpful:

* Although I have been using rye, I'm told you can also use whole wheat if you prefer.

* Additionally, I've been told that you can start by using rye and then begin adding whole wheat and that creates a nice sourdough as well. I don't have experience with either. But it may be worth a try, if you're up for the adventure!

* Starter can be refrigerated in a tightly closed jar for up to one week. When ready to use, remove from fridge, empty jar(s) into glass bowl and bring to room temperature. Feed with 1 cup flour and 1 cup water. Repeat for three days before using to bake bread.