Sourdough Starter - Wheat

1. In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix together the honey, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, and 1/2 cup of water. Use a wooden spoon to stir. Cover lightly, and place in a warm place. Stir twice a day for 5 days.

2. On the 6th day, mix in 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of flour using a wooden spoon. Don't worry about lumps, for the yeast will eat them! Cover and let stand in a warm place to ferment for 1 day. When you get lots of bubbles and foam on top, you know the starter is active and ready to use. The starter will separate with the flour on the bottom and 'hootch,' a yellow liquid, on top. Just mix well before using or feeding.

3. Store starter in a wide mouth glass jar. I use waxed paper and a rubber band in place of a lid, as metal utensils or containers will contaminate the starter. Once refrigerated, the starter only needs to be fed once a week. Use half, and feed the remaining half to keep it alive for the next time.

Tips

This is a wild yeast starter Yeast and bacillus are everywhere in our environment, including the water and milled grains used to make most starters. It is possible to create a new starter in a number of days. See Sourdough Starters for more tips.