sourdough starter

[bambootoo]

I've tried to so many times to make a sourdough starter, following different instructions, and always ended up with something that smells a bit like nail vernish remover...

A friend is going to San francisco soon, are the starter mixes that you can get there any good? - i cant seem to find anything to buy here. Any tips on how to get started?

I've always wanted to do this, and like you have had no luck making my own from scratch - probably killed it like I kill all my houseplants, by failing to water/feed it regularly. It is a bit like having a puppy that you can't leave on its own for long.

I was heartened to find this post where even a fab French cookbook writer admits that she had to get her first starter from another baker before she could get going.

Since then I've been trying to pluck up the courage to go into a nice independent bakery somewhere and ask them if they'll sell me some of theirs to start off with. I did have my eye on Flour Power bakery - they're in Greenwich but sell at markets all over - but have yet to ask. Maybe bakers would be more approachable in San Francisco!

At the moment I make do with no knead bread instead - the 12 hour rise gives the bread that lovely sourdough taste and I don't have to remember to feed anything every day...

I've made Dan Lepard's sourdough starter and it worked without much problems. Here's a version with pictures.

No knead bread is pretty good though! And easy.

I was given my sour dough culture by my grandmother. It has moved to 2 different continents and back to Europe with me during the last 17 years.
If you'd like some, I'm happy to put some into the mail.

It's easy to maintain a culture. I mix some of the starter with lots of flour to make a fairly dry paste and keep it in a container in the fridge. A few days before I want to use it, I add water and more flour to it. Once it starts fizzing I use about 90% of it for the bread and the remaining 10% gets mixed with flour and goes back into the fridge.

The no need bread, what yeast do you use?

I use Doves farm quick yeast for most of my baking including the no knead bread.

I use Doves Farm for no knead bread too, no need to proof.

You can buy a San Francisco staerter from Bakery Bits. I have, but have not yet re-hydrated it, but it looks simple enough.