Sourdough

Shortly after arriving in Alaska. a friend gave me a bit of Sourdough Starter that had been kept active since the late 1800's and I baked bread with it all the time including on camping trips.  Unfortunately, my starter didn't survive the move to Florida. 

Last week, in a moment of serious nostalgia, I mixed up a 'Starter' recipe I found in a 1959 Farm Journal cookbook:

SOURDOUGH STARTER

In a stone crock, glass or pottery bowl, mix together  1/2 pkg Dry Yeast (1 1/4 tsp),  2 cups sifted Flour, 2 Tbsp Sugar, and 2 1/2 cups Water.  Beat well.  Cover with cheesecloth and let stand 2 days in a warm place.

After just a couple of hours, the volume began to increase.

Above is my well-worn, personal page of Starter Handling instructions that I kept with my bread making things in Alaska.

It is the Sourdough Starter that gives the rich flavor to the bread.  This new starter of mine doesn't have quite the heft that the old Alaska starter did but I'm hoping that it will develop more over time.  Once there is starter in the kitchen, there is no end to the possibilities.  Recipes are all over the internet.  Today, I'm making Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls.