I've killed another batch of sourdough starter. I think I now realise where I'm going wrong - lack of oxygen. The yeasts need oxygen, water, food to stay alive. By keeping the starter super-sealed, I've been starving them of oxygen.
The starter is always good for the first 2 days then gets flat and dormant (er, dead). I think it must be the lack of air. There's lots of conflicting advice on how to get starters going - do use other ingredients: potato, cabbage, grape seeds - don't use other ingredients. Keep starter covered. Keep starter open. Remove half starter as you feed it new flour/water. Don't remove any starter.
There's only one constant recommendation "get some starter from someone else".
That's not an option right now, so its time for Starter Marque 3.
Hugh Fearnley's advice on sourdough sounds good - I'm going to run with that and a melange of other things I've read and experienced.
Its worth the effort tho', and I like that some things require time, attention, mistakes, and repetition before it all comes good. It'll come good one day.
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