OMG! I almost killed Betty!

[Lunabell]

My sourdough starter. I fed her and put her in the oven. I turned the oven on like I always do. But, forgot to turn it off after one minute of warming. She's ok now. The center was not heated badly, so I poured some out and fed her. I also pinched off a good piece of raw dough from the loaf I was making and stirred it all together. She is bubbling up nicely. Phew! That was close!!!

[flor-de-jasmim]

1. My first thought was of Betty Crocker, and I was imagining...

all sorts of things!
Glad to hear your Betty is OK.

[Lunabell]

2. LOL!

It was a close call. I started her last September. Just flour and water for a couple of weeks. Then she started bubbling and smelling so good. If you've never had homemade sourdough bread, no commercial yeast, just plain old starter as your leavening, you are missing something delicious!

I almost killed Betty! I am so happy she's ok.

[Trueblue Texan]

3. I hope you don't kill her, but if you do, contact me, I'll send you more starter.

I'm not sure how old mine is...I got the start from a Mormon guy in our dance community. It could be pretty old. But I've gotten it mighty strong. I sent a start to my daughter and son-in-law last month. It took 12 days to get from Texas to Seattle, WA. Even though I fed it before I mailed it, I thought it would be dead after starving like that--the weather wasn't even particularly cold during the time it was in transit. But my son-in law fed it and whipped out a loaf of beautiful sourdough about 48 hours after receiving it. I guess it's pretty strong.

[Lunabell]

4. Thank you!

But Betty is alive and kicking. She bubbles up and has a wonderful scent. But, thank you for your offer! I will keep it in mind but Betty is my baby. I started her myself early last Fall. I was just experimentingand was successful. I do love a sourdough bread!!

[elleng]

5. OH GOODNESS!!!

Don't know that I could (or WOULD!) handle such additional burden! to my otherwise plain and simple life! Good luck! Yours prolly better than that @ my grocery store!

[lillypaddle]

6. I don't know WTH you are talking about

but here's a heart anyway! You've helped me out in the past.

[Lunabell]

7. It's the started for sourdough.

You make sourdough bread without yeast. You mix flour and water, cover it and put in a warm place. The natural yeasts and bacteria in the air use the flour and water mixture to grow. You take your bubbling and sour smelling (sour in a good way) mix and pour off half. Then you "feed" this bubbly starter with a mix of fresh flour and water every day for a couple of weeks until your starter is established. Then, you can keep it in your fridge, take it out once a week and "feed" it.

You usually use about a half cup to a cup of starter along with flour, salt and water in your bread dough recipe. I let it rise in the fridge for about 24 hour to develop that tangy sourdough taste.

Some people have multi-generational starters spanning many decades. They just pour a half a cup for you and then you grow more. I just began mine last Fall and have been learning the ins and outs of sourdough. Some of us sourdough people name our starters. I named my starter Betty.


And thank you for my heart!!! I can't afford to give to DU, and this makes me happy to support their efforts!! I'm a tried and blue Democrat!

[Old Crank]

8. If misery loves company....

First sorry about your mishap. Glad Betty has recovered.

But to forget stuff like that happens. You probably didn't know that I have patented a methor for putting a plastic coat on loaves of bread right in the oven while you bake the loaf.
One day I had my bread formed for the final rest on the baking sheet. I had a sheet of pale gree plastic wrap over it.
When I pulle the loaf from the oven I noticed a slight green line on the bread by the tray. It took me awhile but I realized I had left the film on the bread. Ooopsie.