Put flour into a crock, jar, or Tupperware bowl that is
at least warm to room temperature
Never use a metal
container
The bowl should be scalded before using to
inhibit the growth of unwanted bacteria
Add 2-1/2
cups lukewarm water, and set the whole batch in a
warm but not hot place
That's it.
It is a good idea to have a loose-fitting lid for the pot, to
keep the dust out of the working starter
The pot should
never be tightly closed because the mixture has to
attract yeast spores from the surrounding air.
In about four or five days, the pot will be bubbling
slowly and a wonderful aroma will fill your kitchen.
Or you can help it along
Replace the lukewarm water
with warm water from boiled potatoes
Or sprinkle a
package of active dry yeast over the flour before you mix
in the warm water
This will get a starter going in only a
few hours.
To keep a starter going all the time, you must remem-
ber to replenish what you use with fresh flour and water
Sourdough starter can be kept for several weeks in the
refrigerator, and frozen for even longer
You must
always bring it back to room temperature until it starts
working again before it can be used
In cold weather,
starters can lose some potency, but a tablespoon of cider
vinegar will revive it nicely.
