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Mike Romain

wrote:.
>
> Just wondering - would the Acme or San Francisco starters provide a
> bread with more tangyness and more of that 'sour cream' or
> 'buttermilk' flavor ?
>
> Doug

I have found I can make both types of taste, sour and not by the
preferment times. I have a homemade one year old now starter.

If I grow it fast and warm like you did, I get a lighter loaf with less
'bite' or 'sour' taste.

I store my starter in the refrigerator because I only use it once a week
or less so when I bring it out, I give it a 'wake up' or refresh feed.

I then take some off and put my 'mother' back in the fridge.

If I want a sour tasting end product, I next give it an overnight or at
least 10 hour grow at room temperature. I then give it another 'wake
up' feed just until it doubles, (mine will do about 4X before it drops)
then I add stuff to make bread. I usually have at least 2 cups of
sponge at this point.

If I want it real sour, I will give the starter a couple days of long
cool grows. That fast wake up feed after, before adding bread
ingredients is still needed to make the loaf light or airy I find.

Same for the bread rise times. If I put it in the prewarmed oven at
this point, it will be a lighter in texture medium sour loaf. If I let
it rise on the counter which is usually about double the time for mine,
it is a denser sour loaf.

If I want a lighter or less sour sandwich loaf, I omit the long
overnight grow and use the prewarmed oven to grow the starter and to
rise the bread in.

This has been pretty consistent for me.

Mike
Some bread photos: http://www.mikeromain.shutterfly.com