Sourdough Bread

Help!...There is yeast running wild in my kitchen!

Psst….I have to tell you that it is running wild in yours too!

“The history of sourdough goes back to the beginning of leavened bread, for undoubtedly this was the way it all started. Alaskan miners have romanticized sourdoughs and created a tradition of friendship in Alaska by sharing their starters. They were not the first to use such a method. However, these intrepid men did find other uses for their starters, such as drinking the liquid alcohol that forms on top.”

"Your Great-Great grandmother crossing the prairies carried her sourdough with her as one of her most precious possessions. She made many quick breads but when there was time, she was able to produce loaves of bread with her starter. Chuck wagons supplying food for hard working cowboys always had a small wooden cask of sourdough starter. If the weather became too cold, the cook slept with his cask. Many immigrants to the United States carefully carried a crock of dough across the sea."

"Don’t forget there was no commercial yeast available until the 20th century.”

From the book”Mary’s Bread Basket and Soup Kettle” by Mary Gubser.

Where does Wild yeast come from? Everywhere.It’s all around you right now. All you have to do is set out a tasty dish of flour and water and the yeast and bacteria in the environment will go to town munching on it.

It’s amazing to me that something as useful as yeast can be cultured right out of the air. Watching the starter show the initial signs, such as bubbling and frothing, and then eventually grow madly up the sides of the bowl is like watching something from a monster movie…..I want to quote Dr. Frankenstein….”It’s Alive! It’s Alive!”

The use of yeast in baking bread greatly increases the abundance of wild yeast found in the air and on work surfaces.

NOTE:Wild yeast is also FREE!

And not many things in the world today are free. So take advantage of it!

Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter is easy to make.

This recipe is again from Mary Gubser's book. “Pour 2 cups of milk (either whole or enriched skim) into a 2 quart crock, glass or plastic container (no metal). Cover with a square of doubled cheesecloth and set in a warm protected spot—a sunny window is perfect. Leave it there for 24 hours. Stir in 2 cups of flour (preferably unbleached white) beating until smooth. Replace cheesecloth and set back in the protected spot. If the weather is warm, the starter will begin working within one day or overnight. But if you have a cooler temperature, the action may take 3 to 4 days. Be patient. When it begins to bubble, allow it to work about 2 days. Stir once each day with a rubber spatula. When the sponge is thick, bubbly, and has a lovely fresh sour aroma, place a lid over the cheesecloth,label the jar, and refrigerate. “

“To Replenish:

Each time the starter is used, add 1 cup of warm milk and 1 cup of water. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth, cover with the cheesecloth and leave overnight in a protected warm spot. The next morning, stir the sponge with a rubber spatula and replace in the refrigerator. If this process is followed each time the starter is used, there will be no danger of losing it.”

Here is one of her sourdough bread recipes:

Multigrain Bread

½ cup bulgur ½ cup melted butter

½ cup cracked wheat 2 tsp salt

½ cup soy flour 5-7 cups unbleached flour

½ cup flax meal

4 ½ cups whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons molasses

1 ½ cups sourdough starter

2 cups boiling water

Measure oatmeal, bulgur, cracked wheat, soy flour, ground flax, molasses into large bowl. Add boiling water. Stir until well blended. Cool to warm and add sourdough starter and whole wheat flour.

Beat until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and clean towel and let stand overnight in a warm spot.

The next morning, combine warm milk, melted butter, salt and blend with a rubber spatula. Add unbleached flour gradually to make a soft workable dough. Knead 8 to 10 minutes, adding more flour if necessary. Place dough in a warm, greased bowl, turning to coat the top. Cover and let double.This will take about 3 hours.

If you want to speed up the process, add 2 pkg yeast to the warm milk.

Punch down and knead lightly. Let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 4 loaves and place in greased pans. Cover and let rise to tops of pans. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on racks.

Beginning breadmakers may wish to start with the Coolrise Bread Recipes and learn the feel of a good bread dough before attempting Sourdough Bread.