SOURDOUGH STARTER

Steps:

• 1. Combine the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a glass or stone bowl or crock. Mix together well by stirring.
• 2. Add the vinegar to the water. Add water mixture while stirring and beating to make a smooth batter. Cover with cheese cloth, put in a warm place to allow the batter to get sour for around 12 hours, you will know when it is sour when there is a strong yeast smell. At this point, pour the batter into a quart jar with a lid and ring on it. Place into the refrigerator. This can also be frozen. To get the best results, use the starter about once a week.
• 3. Each time you use the starter, do the following: Pour the starter into a large glass bowl or crock. Add: 2 Cups warm water (90 degrees) and 2-1/2 Cups flour. Stir together and don't worry about any lumps in the batter. This will be a thick batter that will thin as it ferments. Cove the bowl with cheesecloth and put in a warm place for about 12 hours.
• 4. Put 3 cups of the batter into a quart jar with a lid and a ring on it. Put in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and it will be the start of your next starter.
• 5. The amount of batter left in the bowl should be about 4-1/2 Cups of starter to use for your recipe of choice.
• 6. *** Do not add anything to the starter except flour and (90 degree) warm water. *** You can do this over and over. In San Francisco, there are bakeries there that have starter in a vault as it is protected because it has been used for over 150 years! Be good to your starter... and it will be good to you!