Instructions: In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix 2 cups flour, warm water and yeast thoroughly. Leave uncovered on kitchen counter; dont refrigerate.

(You may have received one cup of starter from a friend. If so, you do not have to make the above culture and can directly to the bread recipes, unless you want to keep the starter going. If you do, then continue with the following directions.)

DAYS 2, 3 and 4: Stir well with wooden spoon.

DAY 5: Stir and add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Stir well. This is called "feeding the starter."

DAYS 6, 7 and 8: Stir well with wooden spoon.

DAY 9: Stir and add remaining 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Stir well

DAYS 10 and 11: Stir well with wooden spoon.

DAY 12: Ladle 1 cup starter into each of 4 containers (such as glass jars with lids) and refrigerate. Use one in a recipe, keep one for your use another time and give the two others to friends. Dont forget to include recipes (including the starter) for your friends

"Some of you have learned to tame the relentless feed-and-bake, feed-and-bake cycle that dooms many pots of starter. When Ann Simpson of Bridgeton makes bread, she freezes one cup of the starter for the next batch. Be sure to let the starter come to room temperature and stir well before using.

"Last fall, a friend gave some starter to Etta Taylor of St. Louis. I was really beginning to feel disenchanted with its reproductive necessities when I got a copy of "The Baking Sheet" from King Arthur Flour (in Vermont), she wrote. This gave me the courage just to keep a container of this starter in the fridge (alongside my 20-year-old regular sourdough pot!) and feed it with some sugar about every two weeks. Before I get ready to make some more bread, I double the starter and use about 2-1/2 cups of it for the bread recipe and return the rest to the fridge. Now I feel like
*I* am in control. "

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