"Samartha" > wrote in message =
news:mailman.1098245469.14661.rec.food.sourdough@w ww.mountainbitwarrior.c=
om...

> [ ... ] (material extraneous to below comments was deleted)

> To observe the current activity, it's probably a good idea to punch it =
down=20
> in regular intervals ...

I never heard about punching down a starter. Assuming that it is made =
to
the consistency of being just barely stirable with a chopstick, it will =
rise to=20
a level where it will stay for a good while, notwithstanding that the =
optimum
time to feed it or use it for inoculation is slightly before its height =
stabilizes.

> ... how would one know if it still huffs or if it stopped?

Why should one care? If it is up and not moving, one could assume
that it is close enough to stationary phase, as in
http://samartha.net/SD/SourdoughDefinition.html#SEC9

> Solution: punchdown.=20

Mike Avery was/is? big on punchdowns. Maybe the condition is
contagious? Punching down dough two or three times, now=20
punching down starters.

> to get an idea about (whether?) activity is regained.

Does it matter? For a stored starter, activity will continue slowly
for a while as the peak height is approached, no doubt in part slowed
by nutrient diffusion as well as nutrient depletion.

> Organisms benefit from oxygen.=20

Not always. Our sourdough organisms are anaerobes for practical
purposes, though yeasts may be facilitative aerobes. In fact, in dough
and in stout starters (and unstirred batters) insignificant oxygen is =
available.

> Stirring at regular intervals moves nutritions around and promotes=20
> growth of desired organisms.

Also ploughs under the undesirable aerobes, like molds, which grow
at the surface where oxygen is available.

> When making final dough, punchdown also can improve the=20
> dough structure besides shuffling the nutrients around.

You, of all people, should understand the difference between
punching and massaging. Take stretching and folding, for instance --
does that seem like punching?

Can we not say punchdown, but rather concentrate on the=20
manipulations which structure and tension dough for good rising
and desired crumb texture?

> That does not mean it won't work without stirring.

By me, if you make your starter right, to the point where it is=20
becoming difficult to stir it with a chopstick, it is difficult to stir,
and just as well left alone.

For the newcomer:
http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/dickpics/starter.html
http://www.nyx.net/~dgreenw/howshoul...tarterfor.html

--=20
Dick Adams
(Sourdough minimalist)
<firstname> dot <lastname> at bigfoot dot com
___________________
Sourdough FAQ guide at=20
http://www.nyx.net/~dgreenw/sourdoughfaqs.html