Welcome to Day 2 of the Sourdough Starter from Scratch Challenge! Today your job is even simpler than yesterday's: You're simply going to give your starter a stir. Here's your daily video:
Don't forget to record your work! Yes, even if all you do is stir :) And remember to keep your starter cozy (see yesterday's email). Bonus: Science LessonNow that we are a day into our starter building process, let's reflect: What are we actually doing here? When we mix flour and water, we are creating an environment for wild yeasts and bacteria to thrive. Wild yeasts and bacteria exist everywhere, namely in flour, but also in the air and on your hands. As the flour-water mixture sits, the wild yeasts begin searching for food, which they find by way of the starch in the flour, which they then convert to sugar. As the yeasts digest this sugar, they produce two things: carbon dioxide, which makes the starter rise, and alcohol, which the wild bacteria drink up and in turn produce various types of lactic and acetic acids — these acids are what give the bread the sour flavor. Cool, right? The wild yeasts and bacteria work symbiotically to both leaven and flavor our starter and ultimately our bread. As always, if you have any questions, please ask them here. |
Love what you're reading? Click here to receive an alert every time I post a new recipe.
No comments:
Post a Comment