Sourdough Starter

Pour the water into a two-quart glass, ceramic, or melamine jar or bowl

Add and dissolve the sugar and the yeast in that order

Stir (always with a wooden or plastic spoon) in the flour gradually

Cover the jar or bowl with a clean dishcloth and place it somewhere warm. Watch out! The starter will grow exponentially the first day and may overflow your container, so watch it closely.

Let it work anywhere from 2 to 5 days, stirring it about once a day as it will separate.

When the bubbling has subsided and a yeasty, sour aroma has developed, stir your starter once more and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it. I use a tupperware container, but hope to get a crock soon. The starter should have the consistency of pancake batter.

Feeding Your Starter - Refrigerated Starter is relatively dormant once chilled and only has to be fed about every two weeks. Add 1 cup flour and 1/2 warm water and stir to combine. Cover and allow to sit in a warm place for 24 hours. Stir again and refrigerate.

Utilizing Your Starter - Follow recipe instructions for the amount of starter to use. Then, replace the amount of starter you took out with an equal amount. For example, if you made waffles and used 1/2c starter, replace with 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 warm water. Cover and allow to sit in a warm place for 24 hours. Stir again and refrigerate.