Sourdough starter question

[Guest guest]

I am trying to make a sourdough starter. Using Sandor's recipe I

started with flour, water and some orgainc grapes. After a few days

it got very bubbly. I took the grapes out and started feeding it

daily with flour for the past 4 days. I don't see that it is

getting big and bubbly with the " light " kind of texture that I

expected. It has a fermented smell to it, not bad but like I say

kind of fermented. When it is left undisturbed it seperates and

gets more liquid on the top. Is it ready or do I need to feed it

more, or do I throw it out and start over?

TIA,

Sherri

[Guest guest]

I'm pretty sure it's ready. The reason it's not bubbling anymore is

because it has used up all the food (sugar) and is starving. You can

get it bubbly again by adding sugar.

B.

>

> I am trying to make a sourdough starter. Using Sandor's recipe I

> started with flour, water and some orgainc grapes. After a few

days

> it got very bubbly. I took the grapes out and started feeding it

> daily with flour for the past 4 days. I don't see that it is

> getting big and bubbly with the " light " kind of texture that I

> expected. It has a fermented smell to it, not bad but like I say

> kind of fermented. When it is left undisturbed it seperates and

> gets more liquid on the top. Is it ready or do I need to feed it

> more, or do I throw it out and start over?

>

> TIA,

> Sherri

[Guest guest]

I'm pretty sure it's ready.

Thank you! I'm going to go ahead and start it this morning, I'll let you know

what happens!

Sherri

[Guest guest]

From what I understand grain grows with a coating of the type of yeasts

sufficient to ferment it, so rye berries are already innoculated with a rye

yeast, and wheat berries with a wheat yeast. I daresay these grain

yeasts would live off the digested starches in the whole ground grain

instead of requiring sugar be added to keep them alive.

Darrell