June 21, 2021 - 9:54am
starter has a piece of something in it
So I should've taken a picture. I do not neglect my starter, it feeds me like 2 breads a week.
I took it out of the fridge today and noticed something pink. At first I thought it was mold, but it didn't smear or smudge when I got it out with the knife.
It literally looked like pink strand of hair, or linen or something.
Would you still consider the sourdough safe? I have dried back up, but I'll be sad since this is my first starter.
Thanks!
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Remove it and some material around it and keep going, but, look for more signs of some kind of funky growth again.Odds are better than good you'll be ok.
If really concerned, take very little from the bottom, give a lot of food and just stir till it acts normally again. Enjoy!
Thanks! I did take out like a teaspoon or so of the surrounding area, I'll keep an eye on it! Time to make some bread 🍞
That's the ticket! And that reminded me, i do need a loaf! No problem it'll be ready in the morning.
Question, or maybe 2. How are ya maintaining the starter? This might be tough - if following a new recipe, do you find the timings they use ok for your starter?
Thanks and as always Enjoy!
Love it! Mine is doing its final proof right now :-)
For maintaining the starter, depending on how much I still have, I'll put it out the morning of and feed it to have enough to make bread that night. If there's enough for me to make bread right out of the fridge, I'll pull it out in the afternoon and give it a stir while it warms up. Then, I feed it, let it sit overnight. In the morning, I'll give it a stir and put it back in the fridge (or if I'm making more bread, feed again). :-) It seems pretty strong, so I don't worry about giving it multiple feeds before using, because I use it twice, sometimes three times, a week.
Lol, I'm already down to about a half a loaf! It goes quick! I was wondering about strength as you did get the emphasis on strong starter method. Sounds like it's working out good. Which was another factor in the assessment of the "odd growth". It's hard to get other stuff growing in there when the starter is strong and has a good balance. Long as I'm here, notice anything odd in there yet? Probably not, hopefully not at least! You'll be good. Enjoy!
Yes, ours is about halfway gone now too 😂 What kind of break do you normally make? I tried a new sweet one this time, and it kind of tastes like that king's hawaiian bread!
Nothing odd in it yet :-) and no one has died from eating the bread yet (knock on wood)! Take care!
The usual for me is a slightly tangy sandwich type loaf done in a bread pan. Usually have a pinch of yeast added to make sure i get good rises, (for good gluten), and to make sure it doesn't ferment long enough to get too sour. Not a fan of real sour breads, easier and cheaper to get a bottle of white vinegar and sip it!
Sweet type breads - i stay away from sourdough starters for these. I find the flavor added by using a starter as a main leavening agent kind butts heads with the natural sweet of the wheat, or sweeteners added. Pizza is a good example. For me, pizza dough is not supposed to be sour, the sauce had all the tang needed. Make the dough sour and it's too much.
Story - made pizza one day, using starter. Hated it. Friend stopped over and I ask if he was hungry. He had a slice - best thing he ever had. I told him to take it with him! I'll use a little starter (very) but that's about it. Some bread types are good with a little tang, some aren't. I use it like a spice. A little here a little there, never too much to over power. Of course, thing to do is try it and see if ya like it, that's the true test. Enjoy!
LOL - love it!
For sweet breads, I have this wonderful honey wheat bread recipe that doesn't taste sour at all (to me at least HA). For sweeter / desert type breads, I've seen a few recipes make a sweet levain, usually a little bit of starter with flour, water and some kind of sweetener, and then use that for the bread. But I've never been able to come up with these on my own.
I want to start trying pizza dough recipes! The ones I've tried so far have been eh, nothing amazing but edible. At least your friend liked it!
Honey wheat classic combo! Can't go wrong with that! I may take a look at sweetened sourdough at some point again. Something I'd have to play with if I get time (summer is about golf, lots and lots of golf!).
Pizza - so simple, so easy. Use the honey wheat recipe, cut water back a bit, throw in some olive oil, develope lots of good gluten (2 days in fridge, 15-20 minutes in a mixer or by hand till your arm is about to fall off. Stretching the dough is fun when you get the hang of it, just a little practice and you'll get it easy. I don't do much thin crust anymore, my "pizza" is really focaccia with toppings. Problem with thin crust for me is it's so much fun stretching it I go overboard and make it too thin. Tossing a pie is fun and like golf when I start I have trouble stopping! Anyway, give it a shot I'm sure you won't have any trouble! And i gotta go hit some balls! Enjoy!