Instructions: Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of the warm water in a deep glass or plastic container. Stir in remaining warm water, flour and sugar. Beat until smooth. Cover with loose fitting cover. DO NOT REFRIGERATE! The starter requires 10 days for fermentation as follows:

DAYS 1, 2, 3 and 4:... Stir batter

DAY 5:................ Add 1 cup each milk, flour, sugar and stir

DAYS 6, 7, and 8:..... Stir batter each day

DAY 10: ............. Add 1 cup each flour, sugar, milk; stir.

The batter is ready to use.

This makes 3 cups batter to use in the recipes. If you want to you may pour 1 cup batter each into 3 containers and give 1 or 2 away.

Save 1 cup to begin process all over again OR you can use all 3 cups batter for the recipes at 1 time and when you want to bake these again just start the starter again.

"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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