Starters

[1694kyle]

Can someone explain starters?  Just a little confused with these when I see them mentioned. 

Kyle

[Jet_deck]

A starter is a living liquid yeast, used in place of or used with ADY or IDY in recipes.  From Peter:



There are several threads that address starters, but a good place to start is at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1147.0.html. You might also take note of davtrent's post at that thread.

You might also want to take a look at these threads: http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,861.0.html, http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,796.0.html, and http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,796.msg9673.html#msg9673.

Peter

[1694kyle]

Thanks.  I searched for it, but there were endless threads mentioning and not addressing them. 

[Bill/SFNM]

Thanks.  I searched for it, but there were endless threads mentioning and not addressing them. 

You should also try searching the site's glossary:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/pizza_glossary.html

[norma427]

I have a hard time understanding starters too, but there can be different kinds. From what I know a preferment can be used as starter and can be classic preferments (poolish, sponges, bigas, etc.. A poolish usually is equal amounts of water and flour with some commercial yeast added. They can be added when they hit the break point or they can be left to bubble and then cold fermented before they are incorporated into the final dough. A  natural starter (started with rye flour and then fed with water and flour, until it develops, with only using “wild yeast” from the area you are in. This is where Toby and other members helped me with a natural starter. http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,10008.msg87117.html#msg87117 A starter can also be one you buy and activate, like I just did with the help of others at http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,11578.msg106188.html#msg106188

This is copied from the glossary. http://www.pizzamaking.com/pizza_glossary.html#S

PREFERMENT: A partial preparation of flour and water and yeast (naturally-occurring or commercial), that may or may not include salt, that is left to ferment and mature before incorporating into the final dough. The ingredients and period of fermentation are controlled to achieve the desired leavening power and maturation (ripening) before incorporation into the final dough. The preferment can be fermented at room temperature or under refrigeration, or a combination of both. Depending on its final intended use, it can take a liquid form, semi-liquid form (like a batter) or it can be stiff and dough-like. The benefits from using a preferment include a strengthened gluten structure, a shortened overall production time, and superior crust flavor.

I don’t know if this helps you are not to understand what starters are.

Norma

[1694kyle]

http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm

Is this credible?  I read through all your posts and couldnt find a "layman's guide to starters".  Could you take a look at the article, just the part about making and caring for it, and tell me if it jives?  I think i understand what to do.  This article was just a nice basic explaination.  Thanks!

 

[buceriasdon]

That site pretty much covers starters, the creation and care of. A google search will yield many more sites with some of them having more detailed instructions. Stay away from the ones that say add a teaspoon of yeast to your starter. One thing I would like to stress to you is use ONLY unbromated flour. Make sure you see unbromated, or contains no bromates on the label. Most sites indicate using unbleached but may not say also unbromated. The moment I found unbromated flour here in Mexico I began to succeed in making my own starters. A five pound bag of flour at Wal mart is about $12 dollars here. Yikes!
Don

http://www.io.com/~sjohn/sour.htm

Is this credible?  I read through all your posts and couldnt find a "layman's guide to starters".  Could you take a look at the article, just the part about making and caring for it, and tell me if it jives?  I think i understand what to do.  This article was just a nice basic explaination.  Thanks!