sourdough

[vladadog]

I'm curious if anyone travels with a sourdough starter.

Keeping it in the cooler will only work if you'll be camping in one place for a few days. But I didn't know if it would survive tucked away back in the galley. My truck doesn't have air conditioning and I think many summer trips will get too warm in the cab.

And sourdoughs out there with travel tips?

thanks!

jan in Vermont

[Steve_Cox]

I'm curious if anyone travels with a sourdough starter.

Keeping it in the cooler will only work if you'll be camping in one place for a few days. But I didn't know if it would survive tucked away back in the galley. My truck doesn't have air conditioning and I think many summer trips will get too warm in the cab.

And sourdoughs out there with travel tips?

thanks!

jan in Vermont

I have a 1847 Oregon Trail Starter that is quite hardy. Keep it in the cooler but take it out the night before making bread. Temps in the high eighties are OK. It makes great pancakes stirred up the night before and left out. You can get a free start and recipes are posted on the 1847 Oregon Trail Starter website.

[High Desert]

+1 on what Steve said. Just keep it out of the sun and extreme temps. As I use mine every few days, it is never refrigerated. When we travel I carry it in a plastic container with a vented top. Stoneware is used at home. Warmer temps will help it work faster too.

Like Steve's, my start also came from a very old start. It made the trip over the trail in the early 1850s. Think of it this way; they were pretty light on ice on most of those trips lol. Sourdough is tough, just keep it fed and it will keep those campers happy for years

[Laredo]

have to add to this -- use it regularly if you're not keeping it in the fridge.

[DragonFire]

Glad I found this thread...I am eating sourdough pancakes as I type!!

I also want to try sourdough pancakes camping. Where do you keep your starter overnight so it stays warm and the critters don't get it?

Another question: any tips on making the starter more sour faster? I just started another Goldrush a few weeks ago. I used it, let it rest in the fridge for 2 weeks, and just used it again. I was thinking about letting it sit in the crock on the counter for a day or so and then fridging it for a couple weeks before use.

I think the idea is to starve the yeast a bit and that makes it more sour. We always left the starter in the fridge for a month or more between uses and got more sour taste. But I don't want to wait that long to have my sourdough!!

Any ideas?

[Steve_Cox]

Glad I found this thread...I am eating sourdough pancakes as I type!!

I also want to try sourdough pancakes camping. Where do you keep your starter overnight so it stays warm and the critters don't get it?

Another question: any tips on making the starter more sour faster? I just started another Goldrush a few weeks ago. I used it, let it rest in the fridge for 2 weeks, and just used it again. I was thinking about letting it sit in the crock on the counter for a day or so and then fridging it for a couple weeks before use.

I think the idea is to starve the yeast a bit and that makes it more sour. We always left the starter in the fridge for a month or more between uses and got more sour taste. But I don't want to wait that long to have my sourdough!!

Any ideas?

less sweet more sour

Keep the starter stiff by cutting back on the water

Spike your white starter with a little whole rye flour

Use starter that is well-fed, might feed it some potato flakes

Use more starter in the final dough

Extend the rise by degassing; knock the dough down a couple of times while it is rising.

Keep the rising temp cooler than normal.

Proof the shaped loaves overnight in the fridge.

[DragonFire]

I've tried the rye thing..it does help but changes the flavor a bit.

I use my starter primarily for pancakes. I have made pizza dough with it (when I lived in PHX, of all places..was homesick for real San Francisco sourdough...) I've tried bread. But I want SOUR pancakes next time!!!

Sourdough bread in a DO??? Is it possible by chance?? CI would give it a great taste, I think!

[Catherine+twins]

Yup.

Check out this video series:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJiSbtb_ ... EEB1C4D479