the starter kit
2008
How to capture wild yeast
Materials
-Mason jar/ non-metal bowl
-mixing spoon
-measuring cup
-flour
-non-chlorinated water/bottled water
-clean kitchen towel
1. Sterilize your mixing tool and starter vessel. Boil a pot of water and allow the mason jar, spoon, and measuring cup to be sterilized in the water for 2-3 minutes.
2. Choose a “home” for your starter. The starter vessel should be kept in a warm, dark environment preferably between 70 and 80 degrees. If the temperature is lower, the yeast will grow more slowly and anything above 100 degrees will kill the colony. You may wrap the entire mason jar in a towel if the space is lit.
3. Mix your starter using sterilized tools. Mix one cup of flour and one cup of bottled water. Tap water contains both chlorine and minerals that may prevent the yeast from growing properly. The mixture should be a thick soup of flour and water, make sure to mix the flour thoroughly.
4. Cover your mason jar with a towel or plastic wrap, allowing the yeast to breathe, and place the starter in its resting place.
5. Allow the starter to sit for a full day. After the first day you might see some bubbles but it most likely won’t have risen. Throw away half of the starter and mix in (with sterile spoon and measuring tools) ½ cup flour and ½ cup bottled water. Allow to rest for another 24 hours.
6. Every 24 hours throw away half the starter mixture and add ½ cup flour and ½ cup bottled water. On the second day the starter might have risen to twice its size and you will see many bubbles. Continue the process. After 3 or 4 days you should smell a familiar, pleasant scent of fermentation, much like commercial baker’s yeast. The fermentation step provides the unique flavor inherent to sourdough. Once the starter is bubbly and sour smelling you have successfully harvested your local yeast. You may place the starter covered with its proper lid in the refrigerator at this point and feed it less often. The cooler temperature makes the yeast grow more slowly. It is still a living sponge, however, and must be fed once a week.
Materials
-Mason jar/ non-metal bowl
-mixing spoon
-measuring cup
-flour
-non-chlorinated water/bottled water
-clean kitchen towel
1. Sterilize your mixing tool and starter vessel. Boil a pot of water and allow the mason jar, spoon, and measuring cup to be sterilized in the water for 2-3 minutes.
2. Choose a “home” for your starter. The starter vessel should be kept in a warm, dark environment preferably between 70 and 80 degrees. If the temperature is lower, the yeast will grow more slowly and anything above 100 degrees will kill the colony. You may wrap the entire mason jar in a towel if the space is lit.
3. Mix your starter using sterilized tools. Mix one cup of flour and one cup of bottled water. Tap water contains both chlorine and minerals that may prevent the yeast from growing properly. The mixture should be a thick soup of flour and water, make sure to mix the flour thoroughly.
4. Cover your mason jar with a towel or plastic wrap, allowing the yeast to breathe, and place the starter in its resting place.
5. Allow the starter to sit for a full day. After the first day you might see some bubbles but it most likely won’t have risen. Throw away half of the starter and mix in (with sterile spoon and measuring tools) ½ cup flour and ½ cup bottled water. Allow to rest for another 24 hours.
6. Every 24 hours throw away half the starter mixture and add ½ cup flour and ½ cup bottled water. On the second day the starter might have risen to twice its size and you will see many bubbles. Continue the process. After 3 or 4 days you should smell a familiar, pleasant scent of fermentation, much like commercial baker’s yeast. The fermentation step provides the unique flavor inherent to sourdough. Once the starter is bubbly and sour smelling you have successfully harvested your local yeast. You may place the starter covered with its proper lid in the refrigerator at this point and feed it less often. The cooler temperature makes the yeast grow more slowly. It is still a living sponge, however, and must be fed once a week.
