Foraging for Wild Yeast
(Page 5 of 6)
September/October 1980
By the Mother Earth News editors
The recipe for my wild bread starter—on the other hand—has remained exactly the same: two cups of flour to two cups of water, plus a handful or two of berries. (Remember, of course, to remove the fruit promptly once the yeast is brewing. Some berries will flavor the dough, and may even spoil the starter, if allowed to ferment in the mixture.) And each time I make bread or hotcakes with my homegrown yeast, I always set aside one-half cup of the fragrant brew and use it to activate the next batch of starter.
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Now that I've become a real sourdough buff, I'm reading up on the subject and—in doing so—have come across various schools of thought as to the proper way to make sourdough starters and breads. For example, some old-timers say to knead the dough vigorously, while others caution that too much thumping will knock out all the leavening gases. (I find that heavy kneading works just fine for me . . . but you'll want to experiment and discover the method that's best for you.)
Another point of contention is whether or not it's permissible to add anything besides flour and water to the starter. Some sourdough gourmets vow that any extra ingredients will spoil the fermenting mass, but I find that a spoonful of sugar (or honey) speeds up the process and has no adverse effects.
And—through trial and error—I've discovered the most critical factor for good wild yeast cultures: heat! Yeast is a living organism . . . and too much heat will kill the dough-doubling plants, while chilly temperatures—even though they don't injure the starter—will put the tiny organisms into a dormant state. The microplant thrives at 75°F, but will die when exposed to temperatures much above 110°F
To keep my culture within the optimal heat range during the day, I simply place the crock on a warm windowsill or beside a heating vent. If I want to activate my yeast during a chilly evening, I set my oven on warm (about 120°) and open the cooker's door. With the "ferment" container sitting on top of the oven and toward the back, it seems to stay just about the right temperature. (Or you might want to use a yogurt maker to control the starter crock's environment even more effectively. If you set the thermostat between 70° and 90°F, you'll be sure to keep your brewing mass up to full snuff.)
However, if you don't plan to use your starter daily (or if the Indian summer heat has your culture fermenting at a fairly fast pace), you might want to refrigerate the sponge to keep the yeast factory from souring too quickly. Just be sure to bring the mixture out of the cooler about an hour before you want to use it again, to allow the culture to return to its former temperature and vigor.
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