• 2 TBL yeast
• 2 C warm water – about 105º
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • PROOF ABOVE INGREDIENTS,
  • then SIFT TOGETHER
• 1/4 C brown sugar
• 6.5 C bread flour
• 4 TBL salt
• 2 TBL EVOO
• 1/4 C Butter . Cut in

Optional extra step, replace 1 C bread flour with 1 C sour dough sponge

See Step 15 for ingredients for a water bath you will use after the second rise.

PRETZEL CHEESE DIPPING SAUCE

Step by Step

1. Create a well in your dry ingredients
2. Add liquids into the well
3. Pull together with your hands for 10 minutes
4. Alternately you can use a Kitchen Aid on low for 5 minutes until incorporated, then switch to medium
5. Finish on the bench for 1-2 minutes
6. Form into a ball and place in a slightly oiled bowl.  Spray the top with vegetable oil
7. Let rise 30 minutes on the counter, or even better 8 hours in the fridge
8. If you used the fridge, give the dough 1 hour to come back to room temperature when you are ready to make your pretzels
9. Divide dough ball into half, then half, then half, then half again.  You will have 16 balls of dough.  Work one at a time, and keep the others covered with plastic or a damp cloth during that time to keep from drying out.
10. Roll into a thick rope about 22 – 24 inches long
11. Shape into a U with the ends away from you
12. Criss cross the rope, cross hands again, then bring the ends down, crossing hand again – creating the knot
13. Put onto parchment paper lined baking sheet as you finish each one, keeping covered with a slightly damp towel.  Occasionally spritz with water.
14. Allow about 45 minutes to rise
    • MEANWHILE PREPARE THE WATER
15. Combine the following in a large heavy pot and bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
    • 8 C water
    • 1/2 C baking soda to raise the pH level
    • 1/4 C brown sugar
    • 1/2 C Beer
    • 1 TBL salt
16. Gently float one pretzel at a time into the hot water
17. Cook about 30 seconds per side
18. Flip using a spider strainer
19. Put onto a wire rack to drain for 5 minutes before setting back on your parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Brush with egg wash, then sprinkle with Maldon salt.
20. Put the salted side down on the baking sheet.
21. Brush the unsalted side with melted butter and sprinkle newly buttered side with salt as well
22. Optional toppings are Parmesan cheese, pepper, poppy seeds or sesame seeds
23. Bake 450° for 10-12 minutes
24. Rotate pan
25. Bake 5 minutes more.  Remove when browned.
26. Cool on a wire rack

For an interesting pretzel dip, mix 1 block of softened cream cheese with
1 TBL each mayo, chives, sour cream, Dijon mustard
1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder
1/2 C grated sharp cheddar

1. Chop an onion and saute in 2 TBL butter – 3-5 minutes
2. Add sour dough pieces into a lightly greased casserole
3. Add 1/2 C spinach (cooked and chopped)
4. Top with 1/2 C grated cheddar and 1/4 C Gruyere
5. Top with onions
6. Optional:  Add crumbled bacon
7. Combine egg mixture
   1. 4 eggs
   2. 1-1/2 C milk
   3. 1/2 C cream
   4. 1 tsp Dijon mustard
   5. 1/2 tsp CinnaSugar
   6. 1 TBL sugar
   7. 1/2 tsp salt
   8. 1 sprig thyme
   9. 1/2 tsp vanilla
   10. 1 tsp brandy
8. Dump eggs over top of casserole
9. Sprinkle with another 1/4 C Gruyere
10. Cover with foil
11. Cook now or refrigerate overnight
12. If you are cooking from a cold dish, let it come up to room temperature for a half hour before putting it into a hot oven.
13. Bake 30 minutes covered
14. Uncover and bake an additional 3o minutes

Questions? Always start out at GRANDPA'S SOURDOUGH COLLECTION INDEX

Historically some families used their starter as part of the filling between logs in their cabin.  When a new family moved in, they broke off a piece of their starter, gave it to the new neighbor, and filled in the crack with more starter.  Yes, it is that dry and that durable.

Reviving Sour Dough Starter

Whether you get your dried starter from Carl, Grandpa or another source, it will have to be reawakened before it can be used.  Here are “Step by Step” notes that are easy to follow.

1. 1. All of the steps are done with the mixture on the counter (covered) and NOT in the refrigerator
      To help you with times, I’ve selected a timeline FOR ME that you can choose to follow, or just follow the approximate times.
   2. •   11 AM:  Chop half a potato into small very tiny pieces
   3. Heat 1/2 C water in the microwave for about 60 seconds
   4. Mix the potato in with the hot water and let set until it cools (about 30 minutes) Very warm, but not hot to the touch.
   5. Meanwhile, pulverize (or break apart) your chunk of starter.  The smaller the pieces, the better.
   6. Begin with 3-4 TBL of warm potato water and stir in 1-2 TBL of your pulverized starter.  (1 if it’s dust, 2 if it’s pieces) Let stand for a few minutes to soften the start granules.
   7. Crush the granules with a fork, then mix in 2 TBL of AP flour.  You want the mixture to be like a thin pancake batter.
   8. Cover, and let the mixture get bubbly (8-12 hours)
   9. •  9 PM:  Transfer mixture to a larger glass container.
   10. Stir in 1/4 cup of flour and 1/2 tsp sugar and let rise 4-8 hours.
   11. •  5 AM: The Next Day:   When that mix rises up (4-8 hours) add 1/2 cup of distilled or bottled water and 1/2 cup of flour and let bubble for another 6-8 hours
   12. •  NOON: When this bubbles up (4-8 hours) you are nearly there.
       
   13. Discard half of the mixture (or give to a friend) and add another 1/2 C distilled or bottled water and 1/2 C flour.  Let ferment all day on the kitchen counter.
   14. •  8 PM:  You will have about one cup of very active starter that is ready for storage in your refrigerator.  Store it and start using it as early as the next morning.

It is now time to CLICK HERE to check out some recipes

If you plan on using your starter tomorrow morning, give it its first real feeding:  Combine 1 C of your starter, 2 C flour, 1 C water and 1 tsp sugar.  Let feed overnight.

1. 15. •  7 AM – 10 AM:  You are ready to use your starter.  If it still looks kind of weak (not a lot of bubbles) you might want to consider FEEDING YOUR STARTER (Step 16) and then returning to Step 15 tomorrow.
   16. FEEDING YOUR STARTER:  This is how you will start every single time you use your starter.  CLICK HERE.

Tips:

o I use the baby formula wrist test to judge the temperature of the water. A few drops on your wrist should feel barely warm or cold.

o A baby food jar and an 18-ounce peanut butter jar work well for the small and large containers.

o Established starter will do fine in any room temperature that is comfortable for humans. Warmer room temperature is helpful when reviving start, but do not go over 85ºF if at all possible. Cooler temperatures just extend the time required. If room temperature is under 68ºF, I find a warmer spot such as the top of my refrigerator or a cold oven with the light on.

o Vigorous stirring of the mixture from time to time will slightly shorten the time between growth stages, but is not necessary for success. I use this method to test start before shipping and just stir enough to mix the ingredients.

Regarding the vinegar “kick”, and the use of dry yeast in a few of the recipes Carl transcribed, we don’t do it, but heck, it might work for you.

Good luck with your sourdough,

—
Originally written by “Carlos” October 19, 2003

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg and cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 C milk
• salt
• 1/2 C sugar
• 2 small eggs
• 1/2 TBL shortening
• 2 C flour – mix gently

Alternate Recipes

Regular Donuts

• 1.5 C whole milk – about 150º
• 2.5 oz veg shortening
• 5 tsp Instant Yeast (or just under 2 TBL) in 1/3 C warm water
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/4 C sugar
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 gallon hot vegetable, safflower, or peanut oil for frying
• 23 oz AP flour (by weight)

Sour Dough Donuts

• Reduce the dough by 3/4 C
• Reduce the milk by 1/4 C
• Add 1 C sour dough starter
• Add 1/4 C dried milk
  • Add all of this mixture as part of Step 1

1. Combine yeast mixture, shortening, eggs, salt, nutmeg, sugar and half of the flour in your food processor – Paddle stir to mix
2. Add 1/4 more of the flour, stir
3. Put on dough hook, then add the remainder of the flour
4. Knead for bout 5-8 minutes
5. Cover and let rise for 1 hour in cold oven with 4 C container of boiling hot water placed in the oven next to the dough
6. Tap the dough down and fold the dough into thirds – twice
7. Roll to about 3/8 inch thickness – Use two baking trays or sticks for a spacer to get even thickness
8. Sprinkle your baking sheet with flour
9. Cut big circles and place them on your baking sheet
10. Cut a smaller hole in the center
11. Let the holes rise on their own tray for donut holes
12. Use all of the leftover dough to make more
    Roll back into a ball and let rise for 30-60 minutes
    Roll flat and cut into squares or more donuts
13. Let the donuts (and holes) rise for 30 minutes
14. Heat your oil up to 365-370º in a Dutch oven
15. Put four in at a time
16. Flip after 60 seconds per side
17. Let drain on cooling rack placed over newspaper
18. Optional:  Put into paper bag with confectioner sugar and shake
19. Optional:  Glaze with Sugar Glaze as follows:
    1. Combine 1/4 milk and 1 tsp vanilla in a double boiler
    2. Heat to 150º
    3. Put 2 C confectioner sugar in a whisk together
    4. Dip donuts into the mixture then put on rack again
    5. Rest at least 5 minutes
20. Optional:  Create a Chocolate Glaze as follows:
    1. 1. Combine 1/4 milk and 2 tsp vanilla in a double boiler
       2. Heat to 150º
       3. Put 2 C confectioner sugar in a whisk together
       4. Add 1/2 C butter (one stick) and 1 TBL corn syrup
       5. Add 4 oz bittersweet chocolate or Cocoa Mix
       6. Don’t overheat
       7. Dip donuts into the mixture then put on rack again
       8. Rest at least 5 minutes

Grandpa’s Sour Dough STARTER from SCRATCH

If you would rather make your own starter, you can use this simple recipe. We’ve tested it, so know that it works.

Ingredients to get started

1 C flour
– – – Ideally start with 1/4 C rye flour and 3/4 C AP flour
1 C BOTTLED water (some people prefer to use milk instead)
 – – – DO NOT USE TAP WATER
1 package yeast mixture (or 1 TBL)
2 tsp sugar
NO SALT ! ! ! !

Step by Step

• 1. • DAY ONE (Saturday)
       
  1. Mix yeast and sugar in 1/2 CU warm water.
  2. Let stand 5-10 minutes.
  3. Mix all other ingredients together and put in glass container with loosely fitting lid (to allow gasses to escape) OR Plastic Wrap with a toothpick hole in the top
  4. Let sit at room temperature overnight (12 hours) on first day
     • DAY TWO (Sunday)
  5. On the Second Morning, stir in 1/2 C more water and 1/2 C more flour
  6. Mix well and place back in the fridge
     • DAY THREE (Monday)
  7. On the Third Morning Share or Discard 1/2 of the mixture.  Keep approx 1/2 C starter in a container with a lose fitting lid or a glass bowl as described in Step 3.
     If you share it, tell the other person to start with Step 8 & 9 tonight, and then continue with Day Four tomorrow
  8. Stir in 1/2 C more water and 1/2 C more flour
  9. Mix well and place back in the fridge
     • DAY FOUR (Tuesday)
  10. Nothing to do today.  Just let it continue to age in the fridge
      • DAY FIVE (Wednesday)
  11. Your starter is alive and ready to use
  12. Remove half your starter to a mixing bowl and add to pancakes, bread, rolls or biscuit dough
  13. Feed your remaining starter by adding 1/2 C more water and 1/2 C more flour – Mix well
  14. Place back in the fridge in a glass jar with a loose fitting lid, or a lid with a tiny hole in the top.
  15. Repeat from Step 11 at least once a week
  16. About once a month, add just a pinch of sugar

Sour dough from places such like San Francisco have their “special” taste because of the molds and yeasts indigenous to that area. If you pay for a Sour Dough Starter, it will have the taste of the area from which it originates initially, but as you halve the starter (each time you use it) the tell-tale taste will diminish each time, until it takes on the characteristics of YOUR region.

When I first started baking with Sourdough Starter thirty years ago, the amount of the starter quickly overwhelmed me. Here is a way that you can maintain your starter, and create just enough for two people or a small family.

This assumes that you now have about 3/4  cup of active starter kept in a glass or plastic jar in the refrigerator with a plastic screw lid that IS NOT tightened too tightly.

Here is a label for your container:

1. Start with your jar of refrigerated starter.
2. Again, this depends on how many you are cooking for. If you are preparing loaves for a potluck or for a larger family, look below for instructions on how you can increase the amounts. Be sure you decrease to your sustainable level after all the excitement has died out.
3. Transfer your jarred starter to a large glass bowl. Add 3/4 C AP flour
4. Add 3/4 C water
5. Occasionally, add 1 tsp sugar OR 1 tsp dry milk.  ONLY ONE, NOT BOTH
   – Once every month (or if your starter starts to look sick,  add 1 TBL non-salted potato water, 1 tsp cider vinegar, 2 TBL AP flour
6. Mix and let sit (covered) overnight to ferment (at least 10-16 hours)
   – Meanwhile, wash your storage jar. Contamination WILL ruin your starter.
7. Next morning, fill your CLEAN glass jar with your amount of starter (same amount as in Step 1) and return the jar to the refrigerator.
8. Use the remainder for your recipe.

NOTE: You must use/feed your starter at least once every week, or the starter will die. Even if you don’t bake, feed it and discard (or share) the part you would normally use.

You can make potato water by grating half a potato and microwaving 1/2 C water for a minute.  Put the potato into the water, and when it cools, your potato water is ready to use.

Never use salt, as it can kill your starter.  Add salt only at step number 8 above.

——-

Increasing your amount of starter for things such as a potluck.

So we will assume that you have taken your starter out of the refrigerator, added flour and water to it, and it has been setting on the table overnight.

Since you now have twice as much starter as the day before, you will need twice as much flour and twice as much milk as the day before.

Let it set on the counter again overnight, fill your starter jar and put it in the fridge, and then prepare the loaves for your potluck. If you have extra starter, take them in small containers to give to people who want to start their own sourdough starter. Please refer them to this website for maintenance instructions.

A bit of speculation from Carl – the inspiration for Carl’s Friends.

There is a lot of speculation about creating a sourdough sponge that will make the best tasting sourdough bread.

• One idea is every once in awhile use dark rye flour to feed the starter or some in the bread dough.
• Another is to let it rise at a lower temperature (60?) so it rises longer and gives the bacteria a longer time to do their work.
• I have been told that the special San Francisco flavor is created by the bacteria they have in the water there which comes from the Sierra Mountains under the ground.  (That’s possible, but it’s more likely that the natural floras in the area have contributed to the special taste.  Grandpa.)
  

History

All I know is that it started west in 1847 from Missouri. I would guess with the family of Dr. John Savage as one of his daughters (my great grandmother) was the cook.

• • It came on west and settled near Salem Oregon.
  • Doc. Savage’s daughter met and married my great grand father on the trail and they had 10 children.
  • It was passed on to me though my parents when they passed away.
  • I am 76 years old so that was some time ago.

I first learned to use the starter in a basque sheep camp when I was 10 years old as we were setting up a homestead on the Steens Mountains in southeastern Oregon. A campfire has no oven, so the bread was baked in a Dutch Oven in a hole in the ground in which we had built a fire, placed the oven, scraped in the coals from around the rim, and covered with dirt for several hours. I used it later making bread in a chuck wagon on several cattle drives – again in southeastern Oregon.

Considering that the people at that time had no commercial starter for their bread, I do not know when it was first caught from the wild or where, but it has been exposed to many wild yeasts since and personally I like it. I hope you enjoy it.

Questions? Always start out at GRANDPA’S SOURDOUGH COLLECTION INDEX

Sour Dough bread making is a bit different than the yeast breads and quick breads you probably grew up with. A sour dough culture is ALIVE as much as a cat or dog or hamster is. Being alive, it requires regular feeding, or it will die. Not daily, but rather weekly.

First, you will need to REVIVE YOUR STARTER

Once a week, you will need to MAINTAIN YOUR STARTER by following an easy ten minute process.  If you do not, it will die.

There are many different ways and places to get the sour dough starter that you will grow into your live culture.

For the more adventurous, you can CREATE YOUR OWN FROM SCRATCH. Part of the mystique of sour dough starters though, is their history. I got mine from CARL’S FRIENDS. Because of an agreement with his grandfather, CARL T GRIFFITH provided a sour dough starter FOR FREE that had its origins along the 1847 Oregon Trail.  Carl has since passed away, but  HIS LOYAL FOLLOWERS help keep Carl’s legacy alive.

You may be on this page because of your CSA Share that you bought from the INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE‘s CSA program. The SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE movement of the IRC is designed to help refugees coming in from areas where they faced likely execution just for professing peace. Imagine that!

Anyway, I am planning to give some of my own Carl’s starter to the IRC/CSA for THEM to distribute to you for free. If you are interested in receiving a free dried starter (Carl’s Starter) FILL OUT THIS FORM and you will receive it in as little as a few weeks, but perhaps up to a month; depending on which part of the drying process your request was received. It takes about 30 days for me to completely dry the starter that will ultimately be shipped to you.

You can read Carl’s Brochure here.
– How to reactivate your dried starter, Sourdough Biscuits, Sourdough Hotcakes, Alaskan Sourdough Bread, The Doctor’s Sourdough Bread, San Francisco Sourdough Bread, Potato Bread, and Adaptations for Bread Machines

If you want to get your starter from the source, VISIT CARL’S PAGE and get the starter directly from him.

Here is a link if you want to get it from me.

Here is how you can make your own dried starter once you have successfully created a viable starter.

Here are some more links that you will need.

FOUR SOUR DOUGH RECIPES
– Basic Bread, Rustic Bread, Pizza Dough, Sweet Rolls

Here is another recipe I got from the TV

Royal Caribbean – This is the recipe for Sour Dough Rolls that I got from one of the chefs on the ship.

BASIC BREAD

• 1 C of sourdough starter
• 5 1/2 to 6 C of all-purpose flour
• 1 package of active dry yeast (1 TBL)
• 1 1/2 C of water
• 3 TBL of sugar
• 3 TBL of margarine or butter
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of salt

You need to have the sourdough starter at room temperature, so if you have your starter in the refrigerator, put a cup of it out on the counter for a while before you start mixing the bread.

1. You combine half of the flour and the yeast in a big bowl (a 4-quart glass bowl will do) then set aside
2. Heat the water, sugar, butter and salt until warm (110 degrees Fahrenheit or so).
3. Add the liquid to the flour and yeast mixture.
4. Then you pour in the sourdough starter.
5. Mix with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.
6. The mixture looks very smooth and creamy at this point, and smells very yeasty.
7. Then you mix with the mixer on high speed for 3 minutes.
8. This is when you begin to see the elasticity develop in the dough.
9. It practically climbs up the beaters to the mixer!
10. You need to keep a scraper or a spoon on hand to push the dough back down.
    READY TO MAKE THE DOUGH
11. Combine 1/2 of the remaining flour with the soda in a separate bowl. Then add it to the yeast mixture. Stir this until the dry ingredients and the starter mixture are combined. Then try to add as much of the remaining flour — 1/2 to 1 cup — as you can. The dough gets pretty stiff at this point.
    MANUAL KNEADING
12. The next step is kneading — a part of making bread that many bakers find most satisfying, because you can feel the dough changing in your hands as you knead.
13. Put the dough on a floured surface and start pushing and pulling. It will take about six to eight minutes to get the dough to the right stiffness. You will know it is done when you can push on it with your finger and it pops right back instead of denting.
14. Shape the dough into a ball and put it into a greased bowl. Cover it and put it in a warm place to rise until it doubles in size — about 45 to 60 minutes.
15. When it has doubled, punch it down — another satisfying part of bread baking.
16. Put the dough on a floured surface and divide into two parts.
17. Cover these two lumps for about 10 minutes and let them rest.
18. Make them into two round loaves.
19. Put the two loaves on a greased baking sheet, and cover again to let them rise until they are about double in size (about 30 minutes).
20. Then it’s time to bake the loaves, in a 375-degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes.

You should get a crusty bread with a hearty, chewy texture and that amazing sourdough taste!

RUSTIC BREAD

• 2 C warm water
• 1 TBL maple syrup
• 2 TBL yeast
• 5 C unbleached white bread flour
• 1 C whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp salt

1. Put the water in a large bowl and mix in the maple syrup.
2. Add the yeast and mix it into the water.
3. Let it sit for about five minutes. If the yeast is active, it will begin to froth.
4. Begin to mix in the flour with a spoon by adding two cups.
5. After the first two cups of flour are mixed in, add the salt.
6. Add the rest of the flour one cup at a time until you get the right consistency. It may not take all the flour.
7. Knead the dough for at least five to seven minutes.
8. Put the kneaded dough into a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
9. Let the dough rise for about 6-8 hours on the counter or overnight in the refrigerator.
10. Punch down the dough and shape it into two small loaves or one large loaf.
11. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
12. Let it rise for about 1/2 hour.
13. Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes at 450 degrees.

PIZZA DOUGH

• One recipe basic bread dough
• 4 TBL olive oil
• 3 TBL olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3-4 C grated mozzarella cheese or soy cheese

1. Make the basic bread dough adding four tablespoons of olive oil when you add the salt.
2. Let it rise as in the basic recipe.
   MAKE THE SAUCE
3. Sauté crushed or chopped garlic in olive oil for one minute.
   1. Add oregano and basil.
   2. Sauté for 15 seconds.
   3. Add can of tomatoes and salt and pepper.
   4. Cook at medium high heat for 15 minutes.
   5. Let the sauce cool before putting it on the pizza.
4. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
5. Punch down the dough and shape it into two 12-inch pizzas.
6. Ladle on the sauce and spread the cheese on top.
7. Bake at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes.
8. The bottom should be light brown and the cheese bubbly.

SWEET ROLLS

• One recipe basic bread dough
• 4 TBL of butter
• 1/2 C or more maple crystals *
• 4 TBL cinnamon

1. Make basic bread dough and let rise.
2. Butter a 9×9 inch baking pan.
3. Scatter some maple crystals and cinnamon on the bottom to make it gooey.
4. Punch down the dough and divide it into two pieces.
5. Roll one piece into a rectangle.
   1. Spread half the butter on the dough leaving a one-inch margin on the top.
   2. Sprinkle on half the maple crystals and half the cinnamon.
   3. Starting at the shorter end of the rectangle, roll dough into a log.
   4. Slice the log into 3/4 inch pieces and place them in the pan.
   5. Leave room between the rolls for them to expand.
6. Repeat with the second piece.
7. Let them rise for about 30 minutes.
8. Put the rolls into the oven cold.
9. Set the temperature at 425 degrees.
10. Let the rolls bake for 15 minutes.
11. Turn the temperature down to 350 degrees and cook until done, about 15-20 more minutes.

* Maple crystals can be found at health food stores or ordered from food co-ops. Date sugar and regular granulated sugar may be used.

SERVED ABOARD ROYAL CARIBBEAN – This recipe came from one of the chefs.

Ingredients

• 3 C High Gluten Flour
• 1/4 C Sour Dough Base
• 2 tsp Yeast
• 1.5 C Water – more or less – adjust database

Instructions as modified by Grandpa

1. Mix all ingredients for 5 minutes slow, and 4 minutes medium-fast until well developed
2. Scale the dough into 3 LB batches
3. Divide into rolls and place on the sheet pan
4. Proof for 30 minutes
5. Make a shallow cut on the top of each
6. Bake with steam for 5 minutes at 500 degrees
7. Then lower the temp to 400 and cook until browned

Original Recipe to serve to approximately 200 people

• 25 pounds High Gluten Flour, 99PRD011113
• 2.5 LBS Sour Dough Base 10%, 99PRD011441
• 5 oz Dry Yeast, 99PRD012140
• 7.5 Liters Water
• Served on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Ingredients

You must have Sour Dough Starter to complete this recipe.

• 1 CU Sour Dough Starter (or half of whatever is in your container – See Step #5)
• 1 CU flour (or equal amount to starter)… more flour later
• 3/4 CU water (heated)
• 1/2 TBL (or 1/2 package) yeast mixture
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Heat water to VERY warm to the touch, but not so hot that it is uncomfortable – about 40 seconds in the microwave.   If too hot, add an ice cube.
2. Mix yeast, sugar and water and let stand 5-10 minutes to activate (or proof)
3. Mix yeast mixture into Sour Dough Starter and mix well
4. Add flour to mixture
5. Split the flour mixture, returning half to the Sour Dough Starter container
6. Add flour to doughball, and keep adding until ball won’t absorb any more dry flour.
7. Knead for 8-10 minutes… (really!!)  Dough should eventually be tough like Play Dough, but more elastic.
8. Form into a glass bowl (for pizza) or bread pan to raise.
9. Let loaf rise for one hour
10. Bake (covered with foil) at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
    …
    Leave replenished starter on the counter for about five hours, then put it back in the fridger.

Special Steps

If your sour dough starter is running low, just double the items on the Ingredients list, and proceed with the Instructions as normal.

Sour dough from places such like San Francisco have their “special” taste because of the molds and yeasts indiginous to that area. If you pay for a Sour Dough Starter, it will have the taste of the area from which it originates initially, but as you halve the starter (each time you use it) the tell-tale taste will diminish each time, until it takes on the characteristics of YOUR region.

Make your own starter. See the recipe for Sour Dough Starter at this site.

Ingredients

1 Pork Loin or very thick Pork Chop
10 Shallots (peeled and thinly sliced)
3 carrots (unpeeled and cut into two inch pieces)
2 red potatoes (unpeeled and cut into large chunks)
1 CU vegetable broth (homemade is best)
4 TBL Olive Oil
3/4 CU white wine
2 TBL Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Toss carrots, potatoes and shallots in a bowl with olive oil, salt and balsamic vinegar
3. Remove all items (except the liquid, of course)
4. Set the pork into the liquid to marinade for an hour
5. Place 2 TBL of the liquid into an “oven-approved” pan, and heat until very hot
6. Put pork into pan and cover. Cook 2 minutes, allowing to brown..
7. Uncover, flip pork, cover, and brown another minute.
8. Remove pork and set aside.
9. Add remaining marinade, and heat.
10. Add shallots and saute for 3-4 minutes.
11. Add back the pork, followed by all other ingredients
12. Cover and roast in oven for 45 minutes.
13. Spoon some liquid from bottom of pan over top of the pork to moisten.
14. Serve with Sour Dough Bread (recipe is at this site)

Variations

You can substitute a thinly sliced red onion for shallots if more convenient.