Instructions: Here is how this old sourdough prepares his starter. I take it out of the refrigerator and place it in the oven with the light on for two hours. Then I feed it and let it sit in the oven for another four or five hours. By now, it is really bubbling. Next, I remove the required amount for whatever recipe I am using and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. The starter goes back into the refrigerator until the next time.

By the way, my mixed and kneaded dough then sits on the kitchen counter overnight. It is ready to roll in the morning. I have really good luck with my starter and my wife says that the only thing missing from my San Francisco sourdough bread are the cable cars. [TheGuamTarheels@webtv.net]

I know a lot of books say to take your starter out of the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature, then feed it and let it percolate for several hours. I simply feed it the minute I take it out of the fridge and let it percolate until its bubbly. I cant see that the step of letting it come up to room temp before adding more flour and water makes a bit of difference, so I dont bother. Room temperature starter might get bubbly faster than chilled starter, but not enough faster to make up for the time spent waiting for the starter to come up to room temp! [CLRob99@aol.com]

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