Sourdough lovers: if you keep starters in the fridge, how often do you feed

[whataboutbob]

That's it really. I have re created a starter after I lost my 1st one when we went on holiday for May 1/2 term. It's taken me a lot of work to get a decent one. Went through that nasty "nail polish" stage for a few days and rescued it with lots of feedings and adding some vinegar+ changing the container. Anyway I only bake once a week and daily feedings are using up a lot of flour so I'd like to slow it down.
Thanks for your advice.

DH's is older than our children and makes yummy loaves.

He can bake up to three loaves a week (and feeds it then) or go through two or three whole weeks without using it (in which case it doesn't get fed for that period).

What we've noticed is when it goes without feeding for a couple of weeks the first loaf is fairly flat so I always pounce on it, make breadcrumbs and freeze them.

That's the thing about sourdough- so many different ways of doing it out there!most writers say you have to feed daily or it dies.

I know!

I'm really not an expert, but I can definitely say that ours is feed very irregularly, but still produces amazing loaves.

DH says he feeds his and immediately puts it in a fridge in a sealed container (one of those glass tupperware with the flip lids).

I suppose you could split it in half and try different methods but daily feeding would drive me nuts.

oh actually, that could be the difference - they do die outside the fridge unless they're fed daily. Do you keep yours at room temperature?

DH leora his in the fridge and feeds once a week. Doing well!

keeps

Yes. I ve been storing at room temperature.i must switch to fridge storing. Mine is the consistency of thick pancake batter. Do you make a stiffer paste with more flour for fridge storage?

i keep mine in the fridge and feed once a week whether i am using it or not, the 'discard' makes the most amazing crumpets so i have an old large yogurt pot that I use to keep the discard in until we have enough for crumpet day

May I hijack briefly? Can you share your starter recipes, please, and your bread ones? I want to get back into making sour dough but don't like the last recipe I used.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/may/10/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-recipes-sourdough

I use this recipe for starter and bread.

How do you do crumpets with the discard? Have you got a recipe?

I keep mine in the fridge and use the discard to make pizza. Have tried pancakes and muffins too but they were less successful.

Thanks for the recipe. I too am intrigued by making things with the discard. Do you use it as normal with sour dough?

Please can I join in? I came on to ask advice about my starter which I'm making according to H F-W's instructions in River Cottage Everyday. I'm on about day 8 of the discarding and feeding process to make the starter. It's beginning to smell a little less nail polish-y, but it keeps separating so there's a pool of water sitting on the top. I don't think I'm adding too much water at the feeding stage, as it's the right consistency to start off with, but after a few hours the water rises to the top. Does this matter?
Really excited about baking with the starter - I've never done it before - but I don't think it's ready yet

Fatsatsuma you can just stir the liquid back in, mine does it too.

Once a week. Although I once left it for six weeks (holiday) and it was fine, you just needed to 'clean' it.

You can also make pancakes with the 'discard', they're quite unusual, but really yummy.

I don't discard. Keep it in the fridge, get it out and refresh it a few hours before I'm going to use it (ie night before). Discard crumpets sound good though...

I always use Dan Lepard's Mill Loaf recipe with 3:1 ratio of wheat to rye.

Thanks couldbeanyone.
Apart from a less sharp smell, what else should I look for to indicate that the starter is ready to use?

Fatsatsuma - I'd just give it a go and see what happens. Sourdough making is a bit of an art and the judgement needed is a honed skill, dive in - the bread will be fine. A top tip I've learned to prevent sticking is to flour the proving tea towel with rice flour, it has made all the difference.

I made these crumpets this morning, a few using rings and then resorted to free form. The rings produced a prettier result but a bit of a faff. Leave them to cool a bit before eating otherwise they are a bit doughy, went down well with the kids and were a fairly quick morning treat, will definitely make again.

Luxaroma - I use the same crumpet recipe isn't it fab?
here is a photo of one batch, the mickey ears ones are using a ring we picked up at Downtown Disney but you can find the regular rings in any baking shop, these have become our Sunday morning regular breakfast, a great side benefit to baking with sourdough

I feed mind about one a week. Apparently you freeze or dry out portions so you can start again without too much fuss. I have a theory that newer starters are more needy and are more accepting of infrequent feedings one they've matured a bit.

I love the Mickey Crumpets!

It's taken a bit of time for my dcs to get on the sourdough bandwagon, I think sometimes they wish I just bought some sliced bread at the shop like normal mums instead of the freaky food they get presented with.

Although I always just do normal yeast bread when they have their mates around, as long as it's white it's apparently cool enough.