I have two, and keep just under a cup of each in the fridge, in jars.

The night before making bread, I dump a cup of water into the jar,
mix, pour into a plastic bowl, and beat with an egg whisk. I then mix
in two cups of flour, using a stick. I then put the bowl into the
microwave (switched off), and leave it till next day.

Next day I mix it to get the gas out, and replace what I took out of
the jar. The rest I use to make bread.

I leave the jar on top of the fridge, until it doubles, then put it
back into the fridge.

Starter one bubbles a bit, then settles down.

Starter two climbs almost to the top of the jar. I have to use a spoon
to get the air out. I have to use the spoon twice, once again later
that day
Yesterday I forgot and it climbed right out of the jar, knocking the
top off, and spread across the panel in the fridge. I calculate that
sextuplicated (? x6) . And that after I had knocked it down once.

Do I have an abnormal starter ? I make bread with it about once a
week. The bread is not very sour, and has a lovely texture. Starter
number one makes rather a flat, sour bread, which is also nice,
totally different from number two.

If I DO have an unusual starter, anyone coming to Brazil is welcome to
a sample.

FWIW

Sounds like starter #1needs to be washed to revitalize it.

"Ripmarge" wrote in message
...

> Sounds like starter #1needs to be washed to revitalize it.

I'm curious. How does one "wash" a starter. It is a concept with which I'm
unfamiliar.

Also, it is a bit difficult to determine what you are referring to without a
bit of a quote from the original message.

Take care,
-Mike

On Sat, 22 May 2004 20:48:05 -0500, "Mike Pearce"
> wrote:

>"Ripmarge" wrote in message
...
>
>> Sounds like starter #1needs to be washed to revitalize it.
>
>I'm curious. How does one "wash" a starter. It is a concept with which I'm
>unfamiliar.
>
>Also, it is a bit difficult to determine what you are referring to without a
>bit of a quote from the original message.
>
>Take care,
>-Mike
>
>

Howdy,

"Washing" a starter means feeding it a higher proportion than usual.

For example, instead of taking a weight of starter and adding equal
weights of flour and water. To "wash" it, one might take a weight of
starter and add ten times that weight of flour and water.

HTH,

--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

"Kenneth" wrote in message
...
>"Mike Pearce" wrote:
>
> >
> >I'm curious. How does one "wash" a starter. It is a concept with which
I'm
> >unfamiliar.
> >
>
> "Washing" a starter means feeding it a higher proportion than usual.
>
> For example, instead of taking a weight of starter and adding equal
> weights of flour and water. To "wash" it, one might take a weight of
> starter and add ten times that weight of flour and water.
>

Ahh, now what's a concept with which I'm familiar. Just didn't know the term
"wash" was used to describe it.

Thanks,
-Mike

"Kenneth" > wrote in message =
...

> ... "Washing" a starter means feeding it a higher proportion (of flour =
+
water) than usual. ...

Well, he's right that time. But why does Kenneth think one needs to =
play
back the thread history, like the newbies* do before they learn, to =
answer=20
a single question? Messages are threaded in the Google archives, and=20
threaded presentation is an option in most newsreaders.

The replied messages are available from the news IDs, in these cases
news:jpTrc.44228$Md.33985@lakeread05 and
(as above)
by clicking on them. (Try it, if you don't believe it.) So, requoting =
is=20
entirely superfluous, except to focus the reply/comment.

When you "wash" a starter, you may inadvertently start a new and
different one.

--=20
Dick Adams
<firstname> dot <lastname> at bigfoot dot com
_____________________
*well, the educable ones, anyway

Mike Pearce wrote:
>
> "Ripmarge" wrote in message
> ...
>
> > Sounds like starter #1needs to be washed to revitalize it.
>
> I'm curious. How does one "wash" a starter. It is a concept with which I'm
> unfamiliar.

Delicate cycle, then hang out to dry.

B/

Washing a starter ala Ed Wood..........stir vigorously, dump all except 1
cup,fill jar with warm water stirring thoroughly. dump all except 1cup and feed
with 1 cup of flour and 3/4 cup warm water, stir again and proof at 85 degrees
for 6 to 12 hours. If it doesn't become active you may have to repeat, but it
will if you keep doing it. I had one go bad and had to do this 4 of 5 times,
but it did work!
Next I looked for a flour sale!