mlouise:
> how to tell your location on the site.
I mean on the Aussie forum.
The poster's location is displayed to the left of each post.

> (I tend to use my hands to mix the starter and water together)
Really?!! I would worry about bacterial contamination.
Actually, you have me using my fingers now to wipe off
the plastic spoon (most of my other spoons are metal).

> I hope that's a warm wink.
Correct. I enjoy pestering people that way.

> All this stuff about tossing out half of it... just bake
> something with it... well, compost ok, but why not bake?
> I keep very small amounts of starter now.

I made a couple pizzas with some extra, but the gluten is kind of
mangled by then. Some bakers suggest biscuits or pancakes.
How long can you store old starter in the fridge before you use it?
Do you have to use it right away?

Another approach that some people mention is what you said, to use only one
or two T's or less of starter when you feed it, so your excess quantities
are small. As long as you always stir the starter well, this should never
be a problem, since even a very small amount already contains bazillions
of microorganisms. I've recently started using even smaller amounts,
in 8oz jars. First I stir the contents very well.
Then I pour almost of it out, leaving only a few dregs in the bottom.
But that's enough. Just add a couple/few Ts of new food, and stir.
That little I don't mind throwing away.

And another point is that, if you're baking large amounts and you can start
a couple days before, you can take your 1T of starter out of the fridge and
just keep feeding it larger and larger amounts, without throwing any out,
until not only do you have tons of starter, but it's also very active from
being fed so much/so long at room temp. If your starter doubles every 12
hours, then 1T will turn into 1c after 2 days, 1qt after 3 days, 1gal after
4 days.


> I do think it's good to really clean your container when you
> refresh the starter so you are putting your refreshed starter
> back into a nice clean container.
Why, ml, are you afraid something might grow in it?
Actually, I do that at least once in a while. It also gets back
to one of my earlier questions: Bacteria seem to like water.
What kind of undesirables would grow on dried starter?