Michelle Hubbard recalls her mom saying, “A pie is only as good as your berries.” Then she explains that a loaf of sourdough is only as good as your starter; to keep it happy, it needs care right from the start.
“A pie is only as good as your berries,” Mom would say. We’d find the best strawberries in the market, and if we couldn’t find good ones, we didn’t make the pie. Half we’d mash with lots of sugar, cornstarch, and a little water, and then boil it to a glaze. The rest of the berries went fresh into the pie shell. Served with fresh whipped cream, it was worth the wait.
Along with my mom’s words of wisdom, I’d like to add that a loaf of sourdough is only as good as your starter. That living, growing thing seems like it can bounce back after a lot of abuse, but you should make sure it’s in a good place before you try to use it.
In the words of baking instructor Richard Miscovich, “Both humans and bread-making organisms need to be adequately fortified before lots of hard work. We don’t embark on a long day of physical work after a weeklong fast, and neither should your starter be expected to leaven a batch of bread if it is pulled, cold and hungry, from the back of your fridge.”
Sometimes I like to take a peek at the starter here at Abigail’s Oven. Regularly fed, used, and kept warm—it’s bubbly, smells fresh, and seems very happy.
So plan ahead before you bake. Feed your starter and let it get all warm, happy, and healthy before you make your pancakes, biscuits, or waffles.
The happier your starter, the better your bread. It’s worth the wait.
Author: Michelle Hubbard is a graduate of Brigham Young University with an English degree and an editing minor. She won Leading Edge’s “Best First Chapter” award and later joined the publication as a slush reader and editor. After attending the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers conference in Sandy, Utah, she became a volunteer and this June will be her ninth year as an assistant. She is also a writing officer for Misha Collin’s charity Random Acts. A draft of her middle-grade novel, Oscar and the Ghosts of Paris, placed second with the Utah Arts Council. She lives in Pleasant Grove with her husband, sister, two children, and far too many pets
A note to readers: a well-fed start grows and some folks suggest throwing half of an old start out before refeeding it. I like to use it for pancakes and waffles. In fact, it is one of the easiest things to make. For waffles, all it takes is a cup of sourdough, an egg, 2 Tbl oil or melted butter, ½ tsp soda. Mix the egg and oil first, stir in the starter and at the last moment add the soda. Make sure there is room in the container as it will double in seconds. Use this same recipe for pancakes, but thin the batter with ½ cup milk before adding the soda.
Yes, I hate wasting discard when you can use it to make so many great things.–Michelle