Instructions: Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup water in a jar, crock, glass bowl, or plastic tupperware type bowl. (You need about 6 cup capacity.) Mix in well the remaining warm water and flour. Cover with waxed paper and a dish towel (or put the typperware lid on without sealing and cover with a dish towel). It needs to be in contact with the air. It will become bubbly.

Leave this out 3 or 4 days stirring once or twice per day. Use a plastic or wooden spoon if you have one. The whole mess will be lumpy at first. It gets sour and more liquid as it ferments. After it is good and bubbly (you can smell the fermentation) put the lid on your tupperware bowl and refrigerate the starter.

Each time you remove a cup, replace it with a about 3/4 cup each water and flour.

To substitute starter for yeast in breads: For one package yeast use 2 cups starter. Decrease liquids in recipe by 1 3/4 cups and the flour by 1 cup.

If milk is the reduced ingredient, stir in dry milk to make equivalent milk amount. For example, 1/3 cup dry milk makes 1 cup liquid milk. No other changes are necessary.

Note: Part yeast and part starter may be used in recipes if you desire.

This allows for more use of the liquids called for in the recipe such as in some breads.

This recipe is from the Kansas Wheat Commission printed in the sour bread, add a tablespoon or two of cider or white vinegar to the batter. Amounts are not critical in most breads.

To Share Starter: Remove one cup from your starter mixture. Place it in a plastic container and add equal amounts of flour and water to the original starter. Let it sit out as above. Then give it away. Or just give away a cup of your original with directions printed on a card.

This is almost like playing with mudpies, quite addictive.

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