Story & Instructions for Activating & feeding the Centennial Sourdough Starter
This 100+ year old Sourdough Starter originates from a small village in Alaska where it is still lovingly tended to this day. A small portion traveled to Florida and has been Joyfully fed and used almost daily for many moons. Her name is Mary Jane Dough…named after my Gramma Mary. She made the best bread with those big bubbles on top that got real crispy but not quite burnt. Mmmmmmm
Baking amazing bread was something I have always wanted to do. Growing up I spent several summers with my grandparents where I would help them tend the garden, make bread and pasta from scratch and make sauce from the San Marzano tomatoes they grew. I've been baking bread almost daily for three years now and I’ve achieved “gramma’s bread bubble”!
Baking bread is easy enough for beginning bread makers. It takes a little time to get used to the hydration levels of the dough for different types of bread, but it’s fun eating it in the meantime. It’s meant to be fun and well as nutritious.
Make croutons out of the not so good loaves.
Don’t forget to add salt to your recipes…makes a huge difference in the flavor.
The discarded sourdough from daily feedings is great to use as well. There are literally thousands of recipes on the internet. Google “sourdough discard recipes”.
Activating Instructions
Pulverize about a tablespoon full of Sourdough Starter Chips in a small glass jar and add an equal amount of quality *spring water. Cover with a coffee filter or cheese cloth and let rest.
Every 12 hours for the next 4 to 6 days I will add a tablespoon each of *flour and water. Mix well and let it rest. After several days you will see bubbles beginning to form and your starter activating.
It is now ready to use in the thousands of recipes out there!
*The quality of water & flour makes a HUGE difference in the activation of not only the starter itself but the resulting baked goods. I generally only use King Arthur flours or better. I have found that store brand flours don’t activate as well and they don’t make good bread or baked goods.
When your not using your starter cap it and keep in the fridge making sure you feed it once a week. Pour out half (this is your discard) then feed with equal amounts of flour and water to starter. You want to do this by weight preferably so if you have a kitchen scale now is a great time to put it to use! If you don’t than just use equal amounts. Let it rest on the counter if you are going to bake with it. If not using, put it back in the fridge.
Books I highly recommend: Artisan Breads Every Day by Peter Reinhart
Sourdough Starter makes a lovely gift for any baker. Put together a beginners kit for holiday gifting.
It’s perfect for Homesteaders to add in with your seed bank.