No Muss No Fuss Starter plan. He describes how he keeps a quantity of seed starter in his fridge all the time, and takes a small portion of it to build up into the levain for any given bake. It's a very efficient method in that there is no waste and it does not require the strict feeding regimen of other starter maintenance plans.
Exactly that - keep a backup. Whenever I refresh an entire starter - my stiff 60% starter which can last for months without a refresh, I always keep a small portion of the previous batch in plastic wrap until I can prove that my refresh works. Then toss it. They both sit in the deepest recesses of my refrigerator.
I also keep dried starter flakes in a jar in a cabinet as well as some in the freezer.
Well no bread this week and I've used up all my frozen cache. Of course, I supply all my family with bread - (as I'm obsessed and I can't eat it all my self).
So at my daughters this week-end and she's bought a loaf of good quality bread as a replacement - As compared to some of the sliced white rubbish you can get in the UK
. I've not eaten shop bought bread for a while, and couldn't believe how tasteless, floppy the bread was! I put it in the bin. Not worth the calories.
roll on Thursday when I'm sure my started will be ready.
No Muss No Fuss Starter plan. He describes how he keeps a quantity of seed starter in his fridge all the time, and takes a small portion of it to build up into the levain for any given bake. It's a very efficient method in that there is no waste and it does not require the strict feeding regimen of other starter maintenance plans.
--Mike
Yes monkey dad. I use this system too. But I was building the very last teaspoon of my seed!
https://blog.kingarthurflour.com/2015/05/01/putting-sourdough-starter-hold/. I have dehydrated and stored some of rye starter, but have yet to test resurrecting it. Following your unfortunate episode I reckon I need do so!
"what do others do to keep a backup?"
Exactly that - keep a backup. Whenever I refresh an entire starter - my stiff 60% starter which can last for months without a refresh, I always keep a small portion of the previous batch in plastic wrap until I can prove that my refresh works. Then toss it. They both sit in the deepest recesses of my refrigerator.
I also keep dried starter flakes in a jar in a cabinet as well as some in the freezer.
Put warning labels on your sourdough jar. "Do not touch!" "Hands off!"
Something subtle like that in big bold letters. Also put warnings on back up jars or stores of dried flakes.
Add: "Under penalty of DEATH!" (which is true when you think about those little beasties) :)
Minioven. I will be doing that from now on. Lesson learned.
...
Well no bread this week and I've used up all my frozen cache. Of course, I supply all my family with bread - (as I'm obsessed and I can't eat it all my self).
So at my daughters this week-end and she's bought a loaf of good quality bread as a replacement - As compared to some of the sliced white rubbish you can get in the UK
. I've not eaten shop bought bread for a while, and couldn't believe how tasteless, floppy the bread was! I put it in the bin. Not worth the calories.
roll on Thursday when I'm sure my started will be ready.