It all started with our neighbours, the Yelnatses (
I would share Traci's blog link right here, but she's smart enough to keep hers private) giving me a bag of Amish Bread starter. (A bag of goo you tend for 10 days and then make a yummy bread out of, but not until you've divided your starter into three and given it away to friends, ie.," Friendship" Bread) I've always wanted to do that. I think I had the opportunity once but killed it. I'm going to be nicer this time. But it got me thinking about San Francisco sourdough bread and wondering if anyone had really old starter that they had kept going down thru the years, and wondering if you could know the provenance of your starter (or the pedigree, as M for Amazing says). And guess what? There's a whole world of info out there on this subject! Isn't that just the way it always is when you follow one string of thought to where it leads, and then another string, and another.... ? So let me share the four best links and why they're good.
No. 1 is
Carl Griffith's 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter. This sweet, generous old man would share his family's starter (which they actually used while heading west in a wagon train) with anyone who would send him a self-addressed envelope, or anyone who dropped by and asked. Those who cherished their starter and kept it cultivated became "Carl's Friends". Although he's passed on now, his friends keep his website and tradition alive. They'll send you starter, and they share their recipes, tips, and Carl's story. It's a beautiful thing, I can't wait to get mine in the mail.
No. 2 is
King Arthur Flour's Sour Dough Primer. (Do you say Prime-er with a long I sound, or Prim-r with a short I? I'm the latter. No idea which is correct. I should look it up but that would probably lead to another post...) What I like about this site is it gives you loads of information, quickly and simply, and it's not a blatantly commercial site at all. They seem genuinely pleased to share their knowledge with no ulterior motive. Refreshing. They also have their 240 year old starter that didn't go west, but rather stayed on the east coast getting nurtured by baker after baker. They will sell you some, and give the info on how to get it, but they also share a myriad of other ways to get or grow your own.
That's right, you heard me,
grow your own
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| Photo of Amish Bread via |
An amazing discovery - you can "catch" wild yeast, and every region will have it's own taste, just like wine! This astounding nugget of information led me to two awesome blogs, which coincidentally both happen to be kept by fellow Pacific Northwesters! They have different styles and objectives, but are both intelligent, fascinating women :
No. 3a Not So Humble Pie is all about baking, and explains step-by-step how
she brewed her own sour dough from scratch. She's clear, concise, and has pictures. Just my kind of tutorial.
No. 3b is
Sustainable Eats, a woman who's committed to eating locally, growing her own, and promoting "Food Not Lawns" - which made me instantly have a girl crush on her. Read her philosophies, she's great at putting her money where her mouth is. She tried
a technique for starter that she read about it the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. There are many more places that will explain how to trap your own wild yeast, but I liked these two best - Humble Pie for her clarity and confidence, Sustainable Eats more for her experiment in living.
And last but not least, is
No. 4 Sourdough International. They sell cultures from all over the world. I was all excited about Carl's 150 year old starter, but these guys have starters from Egypt that may go back to the very first starters man ever used. Reading their product list is so entertaining! Each region has different flavours, different reaction times, and different grains they pair well with. Exciting stuff, at least if you're a nerd like me. And if you're reading my blog, you probably are. :)
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