Even though it’s Yom Kippur and I’m not eating or drinking, that doesn’t mean that we don’t feed and water our pets – including our local wild yeast sourdough starter.

Last night, I fed Yeastie 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. unbleached all purpose flour and 3 Tbs. warm water. After about 2 hours, it looked like this:

Another hour after that, it hit the 20 oz. mark. I was very excited.

And here’s where we were this morning, before feeding:

I think we’re well on our way to the doubling that we’re looking for. Perhaps by tonight. So cool!

This morning’s breakfast (for Yeastie, not me) consisted of the same as last night: 6 Tbs (1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs) of flour and 3 Tbs of water.

How’s yours doing?

Today is Day 3 in my quest to create a wild yeast sourdough starter unique to my neighborhood.

Last night, at the 36 hour mark, I stirred down my starter mixture and added 3 Tbs. unbleached all purpose flour plus 2 Tbs. warm water.

This morning, now a full 48 hours into the process, it looked exactly like it did yesterday morning. So, I stirred it down again and this time, added a 1/4 cup of flour plus 2 Tbs. warm water.

I also transferred my infant starter into a 4 cup clear container (it’s actually the blender cup that came with my stick blender), and covered it with some plastic wrap, leaving a small gap in the back to allow any fermentation gases to escape.

I did this for 2 reasons: First, so that it would be more clearly visible; and second, so I could better measure the quantity of starter and any rise and fall. The latest feeding took the quantity up to just about exactly 12 ounces.

The photos below were taken about 3 hours later. As you can see, there’s not really much in the way of “rise” – at least, so far – but there’s some good, healthy bubbleage going on!

I invited my Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day (HBin5) baking group buddies to join in this little project, and I’m happy to say that several of them will. One of the group, Elwood, who lives in Kentucky, reports that he’s been baking from a local wild yeast starter for about a year, now. Here’s Elwood’s story.

Also, timing being everything – or maybe it’s just a case of “great minds think alike” (Ha!), I just discovered that Nicole of the popular blog, Pinch My Salt, has also just created a wild yeast starter, with day-by-day updates! Nicole’s journey started here a couple of weeks ago, although she used the “pineapple juice method”. Interestingly, even though she used different flour and started with juice rather than water, her daily progress seems to be tracking mine almost exactly, to this point. (Notice that I also stole Nicole’s rubber band marking idea!)

Seems like lots of us are in the mood for Sourdough!

Need to catch up? Click here to see how it all began on my Day One. Here’s Day Two.

Yesterday I began my quest to capture South Miami wild yeast in an effort to create a viable sourdough starter that is truly unique to my neighborhood. The goal: The ultimate in local and sustainable – a bread (or rolls or biscuits, etc.) that could only have been made right here, in my house, in my town. If it works and we enjoy the end product, I can theoretically keep this starter and continue to bake with it for years to come! Cool, huh?

If you’re playing along – and feel free to start anytime that’s convenient for you – or if you’ve done this before, please share your experiences or ask questions in the comments section. That’s where the conversation will take place. And if you’re blogging about your journey with us, let me know and I’ll link to your posts.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that, after 12-24 hours, some bubbles and/or a layer of clear or brownish liquid could appear on the top of your newborn starter. I began my starter at 8:00 a.m. yesterday, left it in my laundry room (the warmest room in my house), and went to check on it and give it its 12 hour feeding at 8:00 p.m. Sure enough, there was a layer of clear liquid floating on top! I stirred the liquid back into the starter, then stirred in 2 Tbs. of unbleached all purpose flour plus 2 Tbs. of warm water, covered it (leaving a gap for any gases to escape), and left it for the night.

This morning, at the 24 hour mark, it looked like this:

A creamy layer of bubbles had appeared during the night! Below that, was an amber colored layer of liquid. This layer of brownish liquid is commonly called “hooch”. Right now, the mixture smells more acidic than yeasty, but that should change as the “good” yeasts and bacteria edge out any nasties that might have been picked up during the collection process.

Click on the photos to see the process in more detail. I sized them a little larger than usual so the details can be seen more clearly.

I stirred the mixture again and fed Yeastie his breakfast of 2 Tbs. of flour plus 2 Tbs. of warm water. I felt that the mixture was too thin, so I added another tablespoon of flour. This seemed to bring it back up to the right consistency of thick pancake batter.

I realize now that, as the starter increases in volume, it will require more food to sustain it. So, tonight I’ll give it another 3 Tbs. of flour and 2 Tbs. of water. Tomorrow, it may require a full 1/4 cup of flour (4 Tbs.), but we’ll see.

I think I’m off to a good start, though. How’s yours?

Need to catch up? Click here to see how it all began.

Come play with me.

I’ve been reading a lot about wild yeast, recently, and I’m intrigued. Okay, let me backtrack. Ever since I tasted it in its own environment, well over 20 years ago, I’ve been fascinated by San Francisco sourdough bread. Until (relatively) recently, I was under the impression that the only place you could get good sourdough bread was in San Francisco. Many years ago, I even mail-ordered SF sourdough starter, but killed it. Or something. Now, with all this “homesteading” and “urban domestication” and “local/sustainable” stuff trending (and lord knows I’m not knocking it! or mocking it, either, for that matter!), people out there are not only baking their own bread, but making their own wild yeast starters, too! And they don’t even live anywhere near San Francisco!

I admit it. I’ve been a tad uninspired in the kitchen, lately. At least when it comes to making anything other than jam. I’ve been baking lots of soft whole wheat sandwich bread for the South Miami Farmers Market – mostly as a vehicle to give out jam samples – and there are some devotees who buy the bread and rolls I make on a regular basis. And that makes me happy. It really does. So, I got to thinking. What would a South Miami wild yeast sourdough taste like? And you, out there: What would a New Hampshire wild yeast sourdough taste like? Or Miami Beach? Or Arizona? Or Virginia? Or wherever you live? Curious?

I’ve done a bunch of research and I’m pretty sure I’ve got a fair idea of how this is supposed to work. And it’s pretty easy to do. You just have to remember to feed the little brat. Much like having another pet. Except you don’t have to walk it, clean its litter box, or change the paper in it’s cage.

Wild yeast is in the air. It’s everywhere, and as many places as there are in the world, every strain is different. And with few exceptions (and no, I don’t know what they are), they should all make some pretty decent bread. All you have to do is ask them to dinner. So I’m told.

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to make my own local sourdough starter, and if it lives, I’m then going to bake with it. I’m going to post day-by-day instructions and pictures and progress (or failure) everyday over the next several weeks, and I’d like you to join me and play along. I started at 8:00 this morning. You can start now, or wait until you get home from work, or after dinner, or tomorrow morning. I’m no expert, but which of us is born one? Let’s share the learning experience!

Today is Day One

I hear that fall (or spring) is the perfect time to begin a wild yeast starter, and this is all you need to do:

Get a glass or plastic container (pictured is a 3-cup plastic food storage container) and rinse it well in hot water. We don’t want any soap residue killing off our microbial guests. In it, mix flour (I used unbleached all purpose) and warm water (I used my tap water). I used 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbs. flour to 1/2 cup warm tap water. I’m told that wild yeast loves vitamin C, so I added 1/8 tsp. of bottled lemon juice. Mix it up until the mixture is nice and smooth – you want it to be the consistency of thick pancake batter.

Now, take it outside – your yard, patio, balcony, or even the windowsill by an open window – and leave it there for about an hour (I left mine for 90 minutes, but then, I’m an overachiever). If, like me, you’re afraid something might fall into it, cover it loosely with a layer of cheesecloth, or even the container lid, partially opened.

Look! Bubbles! Did I manage to catch some yeastie beasties? Well, it’s really too early to tell.

Now, bring the container inside and cover it loosely with its lid, leaving a bit of a gap for any gases to escape, and leave it in a warm place. My laundry room is the warmest room in the house, so that’s Yeastie’s new home. (That green color is just the reflection from the tin my container is sitting on, not some ghastly malfunction.)

In a few hours (before you go to bed tonight, or when you get up in the morning), stir it up thoroughly, even if there’s nothing to see. My information says that, in 12-24 hours, you might see some bubbleage and maybe a layer of clear or brownish liquid on top. That’s perfectly normal and you should stir it all back together again before giving your starter its next feeding.

I’m going to feed my starter about every 12 hours for the first week, mixing in 2 Tbs. of flour plus 2 Tbs. of warm water, so that’s what you should plan on, too.

So, will you keep me company? Please feel free to let me know and, of course!, ask questions in the Comments. I’ll answer you there, too and if you post your progress on your own blog, I’ll link to it. C’mon! Let’s play!