All About Sour Dough .

[achookwoman]

Bonsai, I think you are correct.  Too much salt for a small amount. Salt is a retarder in SD.

[Bonsai]

I let a new batch (with much less salt) sit overnight and baked it this morning (dough had been rising for 16 hours by then) and the outcome was much better - still a bit dense but tasty and certainly a bread rather than a brick. I think the first loaf is destined to become breadcrumbs.

[cookie1]

I hope your birthday party went well Bonsai.

[Bonsai]

Thanks Cookie - everyone enjoyed the food (apart from the surprise that my SIL had gone 'paleo' so a lot of food she couldn't eat but she was philosophical and avoided the flatbreads and bean/grain /dairy foods - I might have 'accidently' forgotten to mention that the cake she was eating contained dairy.....).  The mini  cheesecakes and flourless orange cake were a great success.

[cookie1]

I'm pleased. It is fun to cook for things like that. A surprise about the Paleo though.

[thermilover]

Made my first SD loaf yesterday but it was a disaster
No one to blame except myself as I did not have the patience to proof it for long and just was so excited to make my first loaf.. it did not rise at all so turned out quite dense, but loved the smell and taste of it... I think the starter is prettyyyy good for a first attempt..

Will surely try it again once the weather gets a little warmer and this time will listen to hubby of not being in a hurry

[achookwoman]

Thermilover, just catching up.  Hubby ,right, can't hurry SD.

[Jamberie]

With my dairy and soy free diet, I'm buying a lot of sourdough :/ so I'm going to have a second go at my own starter, cross all your fingers and toes for me!

[achookwoman]

Jam, well worth a try.  Good luck. Is that bubbles that I see on the top of the left pot?  Give it time if the weather is cool.
I can post you some starter if it fails.  I can't believe how expensive SD is to buy.

[Jamberie]

They are bubbles Chookie but the photo was taken minutes after adding the water and flour together so I don't think they are the 'right' bubbles! Last time I tried my hand at a starter the weather here was not favourable, however we have a few warmer/humid days ahead so hopefully this one will work!  Thank you for the kind offer of your starter,  I may take you up on it if this fails!

[cookie1]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Jamberie. 🙅🙅🙅🙅🙅🙅and my arms.

[Jamberie]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Jamberie. 🙅🙅🙅🙅🙅🙅and my arms.

Thank you Cookie! I need all the help I can get!

[Jamberie]

So...the original mix had separated considerably. I poured out a lot of the water on Day 2, and today (day 3), I found this! Lots of bubbles, smells mild (not sure I'd say beer, but mild all the same), and it's quite thick and kind of fluffy. It's still outside, does anyone have any suggestions on the next step?

[judydawn]

Probably too thick now Jamberie, we stir the liquid back into the starter before feeding it but our resident experts will be sure to answer your questions better than me.

[achookwoman]

Great news, you are on the way.  You have caught a wild yeast.
Bring it in and leave on bench uncovered.  Put a tablespoon of filtered water and same of bread flour and give it a good stir. 
Leave the spoon, ( stainless steel), in jar and give it a stir every couple of hours. You are feeding the yeast, just like a baby.
When it bubbles again repeat the feeding. You can leave it on the bench over night.
In the morning, repeat.  If the jar gets too full, tip into a sterile bigger jar. Or take some out to use.  Don't throw any out. 
Although it may not be fully active you could make crumpets or pancakes with the over flow.
Keep doing above until lots of bubbles form quickly.  You can put it in the fridge once you are happy that it is active.
Then feed it once a week until you are confident that you know how to handle it.
Always keep at least 1 tablespoon of starter to build up again.
Hope this helps and good luck.  Thanks for the photos , this really helps.