Sourdoughs starters methods vary. Here is one from a Julia Child program featuring Joe Ortiz
Always good to know if you can't get a starter started, try a different method (but please don't think you are capturing yeast from the "air," they come from the flour)
I haven't tried this myself but if you do, come back and comment, Please!
Mini Oven,
Your timing amazes me. This is the bread I just posted! I wasn't aware that Joe Ortiz had done a demonstration with Julia Child until I saw your post. I loved watching this. Thank you! Here's the post I just put up today of the same bread, same procedure, cumin and all: http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/27528/joe-ortiz-pain-de-campagne-wonderful
Janie
It is uncanny how several related posts run together now and again. Often Q's and A's at the same time on different threads too.
I wonder what the cumin does? ah ha! it's acetic! so it lowers pH just like pineapple juice would! (and it doesn't take much either) :)
http://youtu.be/VLo7XBQ-Fvs
Cumin is acetic? What acetate compound are you specifically referring to?
Or did you mean acidic...in which case I assume you'd be referring to the fatty acids...which in such a small quantity of cumin have minimal effect (why not add olive oil instead, for instance?)
Cumin DOES seem to have anti-microbial properties:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/q91lx06725072770/
However, it should be noted in that study, the results showed yeast were more sensitive to the extract than bacteria.
or lowers pH of water & flour sorry for the spelling error.
...then better to stick to ground cumin than the concentrated extracted oil or cuminaldehyde.
Thank you, Mini Oven, I really enjoyed both videos. I love watching Julia Child's curiosity and child-like sense of wonder at the process. I have no words of wisdom on the cumin question, but it's interesting that it also pops up in an old and wonderful French bread recipe by Madeleine Kamen that I've had in my stash for probably 30 years. I haven't made that one in a while but have now pulled it out and put it into the pile of future projects!
All the best,
Janie