Alice’s starter recipe

Alice’s starter

Boulder, United States

Mixture

Unknown
Liquid Flour Other
Alice’s starter

Preserve your sourdough for the future

Create your own Explore sourdough library

Since 2019

I maintained a sourdough when I was very young, around 10 years old, and during the pandemic when I was stuck at home, I decided to start baking again. I received a small amount of starter from my neighbor which is several decades old, and added it to my own starter which I made from just environmental yeast in my kitchen.

Characteristics

The sourdough has a tangy flavor and aroma that resembles beer. It is elastic in texture, and tends to be very bubbly. Our well water and elevation of 8.000 feet above mean sea level in the Rocky Mountains just west of Boulder, Colorado contribute to the flavor. Our house temperature tends to be cool, so often I will use my oven on very low temperature to proof the bread.

Taste & flavour

Alice’s starter top shot
Alice’s starter jar shot
Alice’s starter front shot
Alice’s starter rising shot

Recipe

Starting ingredients

  • Cup Flour

Feeding ingredients

1
I remove half of the starter to make bread. Then I add one cup of flour and one cup of tepid water. We have a well, and only treat our water with potassium to soften it. There are no other chemicals, chlorine or purifiers in our water. I store the starter in the refrigerator.

Working method

1
I use a hard, red wheat flour that is grown in Utah, and shipped here to Colorado. To feed the starter, I remove half to make bread, then add one cup of flour and one cup of water to the leftover starter and mix with a wooden spoon (birch wood). I let the newly fed starter sit at room temperature for a couple of hours before storing it in the refrigerator. I live at an elevation of 8,000 feet.
Cup Flour

Result

Bread

Starter, yogurt, avocado oil, salt, egg, maple syrup or honey, sometimes beer, wheat flour.
Alice’s starter Bread first overview
Alice’s starter Bread second overview

Preserve your sourdough for the future

Create your own Explore sourdough library