Sourdough Bread --- Crohns Disease
Wife has Crohns/Colitis; recent research seems to show the emulsifiers used in food could be a big culprit in causing the disease. I tried baking our own "Amish White Bread" thinking I was avoiding...
Forum Discussion
As far as maintaining a sourdough starter: Once established, I keep it in a pint, Mason jar. Cover it with a paper coffee filter and plastic wrap-put it in the fridge if you aren't going to bake for awhile.
Feed it about once a week. Dump half out, mix 1/2 c AP flour with 1/2 c dechlorinated water, add to remaining starter in same pint jar-give a good stir-cover it up and put it back in fridge.
When you want to use it. Take it out of fridge, follow above feeding instructions, (increase to 1 cup each flour/water) every 8 hours X 3 times-keep at room temperature during this activation phase. Once it starts bubbling, and has a wonderful sweet, yeasty aroma-you're ready to start your recipe.
When you're ready to bake, reserve some of the fed, bubbly starter-back in that same, funky jar, cover and back in the fridge for next time.
This starter will outlive you if properly cared for. It's a good idea to give it a name, (mine is Little Caesar).
This stuff is the original superglue. Clean up any spills immediately.
I cannot keep house plants alive, but sourdough starter is pretty tough stuff. Don't think that it's a high maintenance item. I have forgotten to feed it for two weeks, and it doesn't care. It starts to develop it's own personality-and gets a little cranky in the winter time. But, as the years roll by-you two will learn to happily co-exist. Happy Baking!
Feed it about once a week. Dump half out, mix 1/2 c AP flour with 1/2 c dechlorinated water, add to remaining starter in same pint jar-give a good stir-cover it up and put it back in fridge.
When you want to use it. Take it out of fridge, follow above feeding instructions, (increase to 1 cup each flour/water) every 8 hours X 3 times-keep at room temperature during this activation phase. Once it starts bubbling, and has a wonderful sweet, yeasty aroma-you're ready to start your recipe.
When you're ready to bake, reserve some of the fed, bubbly starter-back in that same, funky jar, cover and back in the fridge for next time.
This starter will outlive you if properly cared for. It's a good idea to give it a name, (mine is Little Caesar).
This stuff is the original superglue. Clean up any spills immediately.
I cannot keep house plants alive, but sourdough starter is pretty tough stuff. Don't think that it's a high maintenance item. I have forgotten to feed it for two weeks, and it doesn't care. It starts to develop it's own personality-and gets a little cranky in the winter time. But, as the years roll by-you two will learn to happily co-exist. Happy Baking!
