What better thing to do in this crazy winter than try my hand at some sourdough? Here is the story:
Last fall I used the wild yeast off of our grapes to start my own sourdough. I mixed 125 ml flour and 125 ml water in a sterilized bowl and covered it loosely with a lid. I let it sit next to the grapes in the basement for five days. Then for five more days I removed half of the started each morning and then re-stirred in 125 ml fresh water (at 68 degrees) and 125 ml flour. As I removed starter each day I started making pancakes, scones, muffins, whatever I could think of to use what I had removed.
I continued with taking away and adding for 4 more days. By day fourteen the starter was finally starting to double itself when I added the fresh flour and water.
To make bread I used 500 g flour, 300 g starter, 250 ml filtered water (68 degrees) and a teaspoon of salt.
I kneaded it 10 min, let it rest 4 hours. Kneaded it again, shaped into a loaf. Then rested it for another 2 hours and finally baked it for 15 min at 500 degrees.
To keep the starter alive I reduce starter to 50 ml and then add 100 ml water and 100 ml flour to it at least every other day.