Starting a starter

The bad news is: we don't give out (or sell) starter for many excellent reasons. The good news is: we will walk you through the process so that you have your own thriving starter at home. Here we go:

You will need:

• Organic wholegrain flour (Wheat, spelt or rye)
• A container with a lid (750ml or bigger)
• A piece of cloth
• An elastic (broccoli style)

Instructions:

• Mix 100g of wholegrain flour and 100g of lukewarm water in the container.
• Cover with the cloth and fasten with the elastic (save the lid for later!).
• Leave in a warm spot (26-27C). Above the refrigerator perhaps...
• Wait 2 days.
• Discard half the mixture.
• Add 100g of wholegrain flour and 100g of lukewarm water and mix.
• Wait 1 day and repeat for a week or until it smells acidic and sweet and generally like something you would like to eat.

Comment:

• My starter had bubbles on day 2 but did not smell very good. It is important to continue discarding and feeding until it smells good; that will mean the bacteria we are looking for are present and thriving.

Refrigerating:

• 12h after the last feed, replace the cloth and elastic with the lid and put in the refrigerator.
• Feed weekly (take out, discard half, add 200g of wholegrain flour and 200g of lukewarm water, mix, keep in a warm spot for 12h covered with the cloth and elastic, lid and put back in the fridge).

For use in a recipe:

• Take out of fridge 12h before you need it.
• Do NOT discard half.
• Feed as usual.
• Wait 12h.
• Take what you need for your recipe and put the rest in the fridge.
• Use as directed in you recipe.

More comments:

• There are many ways to start a starter, this has worked well at home for many of us that work at True Loaf.
• Different flours and different environments will produce a different starter at a different speed. Observing, smelling and tasting will help you develop the skills you need to keep it healthy! Good luck!