Sour dough starter
 

I am trying to make a sour dough starter. Following instructions from the internet, but most likely my quilting friends know best. Hints please

King Arthur flour has recipes & blogs full of the info you are looking for.
Sewverybusy

I peel two apples and cut them up, peels and all. Cover them with water in a jar for 4 or 5 days . Keep covered. Then strain the water, throw out the apple. Add enough flour to make a very wet batter. Let that sit for a couple days or until you can smell the sour. I add a cup to my bread recipe. Feed the starter with 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water.

I bought the starter from King Arthur Flour. Buy the kit with the crock, you will be glad you did. My grandmother would saturate a clean piece of muslin with the starter, let it dry, and when she needed new starter she would use the dry cloth to reconstitute. I keep several pieces of dry starter muslin in a vacuum seal bag. Starter can be kept alive for decades.

that is extremely interesting, I should try that, I don't make bread often enough to keep my starter from finishing! (getting rotten)

I bought a starter kit years ago in San Fransisco.

Amish Friendship Bread
Starter-- 1 pkg active dry yeast dissolved in 1 c. warm water
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. flour
1 Tbsp sugar
Prepare as usual. Transfer to glass bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap. A clear liquid will collect on top after 6-12 hours. Stir down. If not used within a week, refrigerate until ready to use. When ready to use, warm to room temperature.
Sponge--1 c sour dough starter
1 1/2 c warm water
2 c flour
Place starter and water in bowl. Mix well. Place in glass bowl, cover loosely and leave at room temp for 1-2 days. The longer out, the more biting the flavor.
Dough--2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp sugar
3 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
Transfer sponge to bowl. Add oil, sugar and salt. Mix. In small bowl combine soda and 1 c flour. Gradually add to sponge. Continuing to mix, add flour 1/2 c at a time until dough doesn't stick to the bowl. Knead. Cover and let rise to double. Punch down and divide in 1/2. Roll each into 12 x 15" rectangle. Roll tightly from longest side, sealing sides and ends. Roll into smooth loaf and place on greased baking sheets, dusted with cornmeal. Cover, let rise to double.

With sharp knife, Make 4 diagonal cuts on top of each loaf and brush with melted butter. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.
--Store starter in glass or ceramic.
--If not used within a week, store in air-tight container in cool place.
--For every cup dipped out, replace with 3/4 c flour and 3/4 c liquid. Stir and let sit at room temp for 1 day, cover and chill.
--If not used in 2 weeks, scoop out 1 cup, discard excess and replenish as mentioned above.

I have to laugh at the memory I have of the Amish Friendship Bread recipe, I had forgotten when it went around my church among the ladies. We all had it and all wanted to give it away. It's so good! I finally baked it all up and used it after church as refreshments to get rid of it. Truly good stuff!

Oooh, that sounds sooo good right now! Will have to try that recipe!

I found a recipe on-line for sour dough bread where the starter is made over night and does not have to be replenished all the time. (This is not for me as I do not bake bread that often.) However, I have never tried the recipe as it calls for "corn flour" which, when I checked the internet, said that it is called corn starch in the UK. I doubt that this is what is meant in the recipe as I live in California. Can anyone tell me about corn flour and where it can be purchased?