28
Wasted $50 on a fancy sourdough starter kit that was totally useless
I bought this online starter kit from some boutique bakery last month. It came with a glass jar, a weird cloth cover, and some instructions that made no sense. The 'heirloom' starter they sent was dead on arrival and didn't bubble at all after 3 days of feeding. I could've just mixed flour and water for free like everyone says. Anyone else fall for these overpriced starter kits or know a better way to get a reliable one?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
joel_jones1d ago
Man that stinks, I've been there too. I tried one of those starter kits a few years back and had the same issue, it was a total dud. In my experience, the best way to get a reliable starter is to just ask a friend or neighbor who bakes bread if you can have a spoonful of theirs. That's how I got mine going and it took off way faster than any store-bought thing. The wild yeast in the air and the flour you use matters a lot more than some fancy 'heirloom' label. I just mixed a half cup of water and half cup of whole wheat flour and it was bubbling within a week. Your mileage may vary depending on your kitchen temperature and what flour you grab, but I'd ditch the kit and go the cheap route.
3
the_lisa1d ago
Totally agree that starting from a friend's spoonful is way better than those garbage kits, mine took off in days that way.
7
rubyk261d ago
Just a small thing - whole wheat flour can be a bit slow for starting a starter. White flour works better at first because it's got more of the easy food the yeast likes. I'd recommend starting with white then switching to whole wheat after it gets going.
2