Whoa-oa-oa! Get back! So much for the “sweetly sour” smell of my starter from yesterday morning.
Shew!
A few of you commented that your starter was NOT smelling sweetly sour…but more like…well none of you said exactly. Although Cindy’s husband said that it smells like some of the calls he goes on (he is a fireman/paramedic).
May I suggest a description something like a cross between a dirty gym socks and baby spit up? Okay…so sorry. DON’T let this discourage you from making sourdough!!!!! It gets better I promise! And…the sourdough bread doesn’t taste like the above mentioned descriptions. I PROMISE!
So…Day 5…if sniffing your sourdough starter makes you want to cough, gag, and run screaming from the room with tears running down your face…it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing. Good job creating a stinky masterpiece. :)
This morning a lot of liquid had risen to the top of my starter…and it had a frothy film on the top of the liquid. The froth was darker than yesterday and there was less of it. This is normal.
Elias saw this picture on my computer screen and said,
“Oh WEIRD…what IS that?”
Oh how I love posting weird pictures on my blog…
So…a note about stinky…SOUR…sourdough:
The more liquidy and soupy your sourdough starter is…the more sour it is going to be/taste. Some people like their sourdough to have a very strong taste. My family and I don’t prefer it quite so sour.
Since this is Day 5 and there are only two days left before I make bread from my starter (woohoo!)…I decided today to start making my starter a little thicker to help with the over-sourness factor.
This morning I added one cup of flour as normal…but only 1/4 cup of water. I also poured off most of the liquid that had risen to the top again before adding the flour/water. As I stirred in the flour/water…it all mixed in just fine and was by no means too thick to stir. So, depending on how thick or runny your starter is at this point, you may want to adjust the amount of water you add.
Several of you have asked if I would be sure to walk you through the sourdough bread making steps. ABSOLUTELY. I would NOT dare tell you how to make a sourdough starter and then leave you hanging about making the bread. It’s a tiny bit of a different process than making “yeast breads”…but it’s SO not hard to make. I’m getting so excited to finally be able to make my sourdough starter into bread! Yay!
So…anyone care to leave a description of how their sourdough is smelling by now?
jayme says
Ok…yeah. I was gagging on the smell of my goo. So glad I’m not the only one. I kept thinking…its fermenting. It IS going to smell gross.
Does it hurt anything if say…I forgot to do my starter last night (I’ve been doing mine the in the evening)…and did it this morning instead…can I catch back up?
Shelly Smith says
Should be just fine! You can either “catch-up” to your old schedule or reset your schedule to feed it in the mornings!
charmayne says
Hello. My name is Charmayne Khan. I live in Edmonton, ALberta, Canada. I found your site through passionate homemaking blog. i have been reading your posts for some time now and am learning a whole tone of things espeically the practicality part of eating healthy.
Despite having differnet prices for things and a hugely decreased ability to purchase raw milk here in Canada,I would like to know the following:
1- how do you budget your food. I am finding that whole and raw foods cost a whole lot esp here in Canada.
2- how do you store your food- dry goods and frozen …in more detail
3- considering that I cannot purchase raw milk here in Alberta to make yoghurt, kefir, butter, etc that is truly healthy, what would you suggest me doing to increase my family’s consumption of these good foods as listed in the raw milk food chapter (does this make sense?)I tried to order from Azure Standard…too expensive to ship!
4- how did you share your goal of eating healthy foods with your husband and have him agree with you considering the higher price of whole foods?
I am sure I have more questions that will come as I follow your blogs on this topic in the near future. Keep upthe good teaching!
Charmayne Khan
Renee King says
HI Charmayne,
I was reading your request…i’m on day 5 of my starter..i’m still hoping i’m doing it right…i grind my wheat by a hand grinder..which makes it come out a bit more whole grainy-ish {if that’s even a word} ha !
IT’S A BIT SOUPY BUT i’m still trying non the less…
I would like to maybe chat with you about your questions…I too am doing and going through the same thing you are pertaining to the whole food prices and getting hubby to agree…been there and still going through it at times..
I can tell you from my own experience, it’s not always going to be easy if you have a husband like mine honey !…STUBBORN to the capital “T”.
We eat kosher…that was one battle he got over…then we started to find out about the evils of Monsanto and the GMO garbage that is on the market shelves …he knows the truth but, yet the GUTT gets the better of him at times..it’s a on going battle to over come…the prices are terrible and the Govn knows it !..do you have land?…a patio?…a back yard of some sort?…it’s time to figure out a way to grow your own stuff…get serious about it !….buy NON-GMO seeds…straw…buckets and pails if you have to. and start your own garden…it’s easy…do research on the web my sister..it will tell you step by step on what to do and how to do it and when…
The MOST important thing to always remember…THINK FIRST about our heavenly father and what he would find exceptable as food…would he want you to eat junk?…defiled foods that make you sick?…GMO’s?…non organic chemical & herbacides filled veggies and fruits that HE created?…and now MAN comes in a distroyes what HE made perfect…it upsets me !
You will HAVE to deal with the prices for now i’m affraid my friend or get into a local CO-OP and get to know your local farmers who grow your foods….getting into a co-op is very easy..look it up…www.localharvest.com
They will have a catalog of 1000’s of items to choose from at a lower price then the local grocery stores, and most of the time they have items on sale and plus they give you a discounted price on your whole order…like for example..this week, i recieved a 5 gallon bucket of organic wild flower honey for $109… Normally that would have cost me around 160 bucks or more…i saved big time !…you will be amazed how much more you’ll save by buying in bulk..and it last alot longer too !it should last us all winter & into the spring {maybe} we eat alot of honey and plus i bake with it several times a week for breads and whatever…plus as medicine daily..it’s better then a vitamin especially if you eat a Tblsp mixed with organic cinn…powerful immune booster !..ok back to the subject.
I do buy in bulk..once a month when i can afford it..i make a list..one month i’ll buy this and then the next month i’ll buy that..get the picture?.. I buy wheat of all kinds..7 grain..red wheat berry’s..white wheat berry’s.. wheat montana is cheaper and NON GMO and chemical free…it comes in a 50 pound bag..i buy several when i can afford it..i grind my own wheat…it’s cheaper then store bought flour and MUCH more better for you !
Did you know that after a short while AFTER the flour is ground…it’s starts to loose it’s nutrience?..sure does !…so what does that tell you about the store bought flour?…it has ZERO vitamins and is worth nothing !..no life sustaining nutrience ! NONE !…and to think of all the money we have spent…
As for buying in bulk and keeping it from getting rotten or bug infested…it’s easy…
Do you have a vacuum sealer?…use it…
Do you have or can you get good buckets with lids?…get them…
Jars?…use them…i buy also “FOOD GRADE” Diotamaceous earth It’s very inexpencive ! and healthy for you to boot !…it comes from the earth..look it up on the web…go to http://www.wolfranch.com ….it will kill any thing that may be in your grain and it will keep them out as well…especially if you put a small {about a teaspoon}amount of it in a vacuum bag…mix it with your cups of grain and vacuum seal it tight !…it’s like trying to get in to fort knox !..it isn’t gonna happen !..not to mention…Diotamaceous is a great DE-toxifier…it will kill any intestinal paracites or worms you may have and it removes heavy metals from your body !…i drink a heaping teaspoon everyday mixed with a cup of water and down it..it taste kinda chalky but that’s all !..i don’t sip on it…i drink it down …
As far as your hubby is concerned…you will have to first get him to TRY to understand the IMPORTANCE of eating healthy.. That’s a start…some guy’s have to go by baby steps…i know mine does…and Educate him about what Monsanto and many other company’s are doing to our foods…there are over 90% of our foods on the store shelves right now that are literally killing us !..over 90% are GMO….they make us sicker and sicker by the day !..we get sick…the doctor gets your money…then the phar company’s get your money from the prescription your Dr. gave you…then the drugs make you sicker and sicker because they DO NOT cure the problem…they cover up the symptoms only…i could go on & on..but i won’t…
I had to suffer the store prices until we moved to where we could grow our own…it brings family’s together as well…to plant and watch it grow…to enjoy the fruit of your labor! fresh at your table…fresh from the vine…i would start on it right away..you could actaully do it from a patio…with buckets and dirt and NON GMO seeds..if there is a will….then there is a way…
You will have to indure until the spring time…seeing how winter is quickly coming upon us..but get your self prepared to do it as soon as spring gets here…this way you have time to gather what you’ll need..start by the web..and start to purchase the things that you have room for…and the space you have to get started…
start a fresh organic herb garden..it’s easy…it’s a joy to be able to clip your own fresh herbs for sauces and dishes for you family.
Little by little it will come to you…your hubby will see the difference in “YOU”..Let your light shine girl !…it will lead him into doing the proper things as far as health is concerned..i know my hubby is finally coming around !…if my husband can agree on things with me…especially with HIS appetite…HEY..any one can..There is Hope my friend !….I pray alot…i ask for wisdom, guildence and understanding…he is faithful to lead you in the right direction my sister…
To him be the glory , honor and praise !
I hope i haven’t chewed your ear off…if you care to know more, then you’ll be sure to contact me anytime you want to…i’m available to help out in any way possible…with the times we live in now,…we could all use advice from someone who’s been there…
May our heavenly father bless you and keep, and show you his favor in every season ! Amein !
Renee King
Ava, Missouri
Jenny says
That was a tremendous answer to her questions Renee. I leaned a little too. Although I don’t have a husband to convince, I have a diabetic sister who insists on not eating properly. Anyway, just loved reading your response. Keep up the good work.
Jenny says
That was supposed to be “learned”, not leaned. Thoughts get a little ahead of my fingers.
Lindsay @ Passionate Homemaking says
Thanks Laura for sharing your steps to making sourdough! This is one of my goals to begin learning this year, so I appreciate your step by step instructions. I like the new header on your blog!
chris says
I feel like the only man that reads this blog
Roberta Anne says
I am going to trust you that this is going well because it does not look well but more like the yellow foam at the edges of the reservoir.
Roberta Anne
Tarena says
thank you for helping me on what kinds of flour I can use! I am on day two with spelt flour!
I do have another question though…I couldn’t find a glass or stone bread pan. My mother-in-law did let me borrow one that is stone, but it is all coated in a glaze. Even the inside. Will this work? I’m figuring it won’t, so I am still on the look out for something else.
Thanks,
Tarena
Allyson says
I love the new header. What a great description of a wife/mother’s job.
I’m also very excited about your step-by-step sour dough starter. I’m hoping to make some in the next few weeks.
Petunia says
OK, so I wasn’t too sure about my starter…I started it in January, I think. All has been well but recently several weeks went by and all of a sudden I realize I haven’t added to the starter or used it in awhile, and now I want to use it.
It’s really soupy and the ‘water’ has separated and is floating on top and looks kinda black. But it smells sweetly sour….really good. Anyway, I’m going full steam ahead. There will be bread today!
I came across your site looking for answers about the soupy quality and I’m finding your descriptions of the smell interesting…since mine smells good! Sour, but good.
Different regions of the country (and the world) will have different yeasts floating around, so no two sourdoughs will ever be totally alike.
I am relieved that soupy is OK. Thanks!
Shelly Smith says
Petunia, my starter will get that black-tinted layer of liquid on top also, if I leave it alone for a while. You can get your starter bubbly and active again by feeding it like Laura describes in this blog. However, like the liquid she “pours off” in her description, I too choose to pour off that black-tinted liquid before adding more flour and water. This helps keep the sourness level a little lower (which my family prefers!) Mine also smells sweet and yeasty (like a beer?!) at this point, so that is a good thing!!
Rebecca says
HI,
I am trying your sourdough started. I have followed the directions, but except for room temp, I don’t have a safe warm place to put my starter. It is “smelling” and gets a bit of bubbles/foam, but not like your picture above. Will I not achieve the goal or should I do the starter longer than 7/8 days?
Thank you.
Laura says
I’d say go ahead and do yours longer than the recommended 7/8 days…maybe 9-11 until you get some good bubbles going!
Jade says
Hi, I left my starter in the fridge for a few months and when the other day found it not only smelled of smelly socks there was also a bit of green mould( about 1/4 round) on the side, can I still save it? or should I toss it away?
thanks!
Laura says
Just skim off the top moldy part and keep going. It should be fine!
Lyle says
We started a starter about 2 months ago and use it e sry weekend for bread. My question is the starter smells almost like vinegar, is that normal.
Thanks
Lyle
Laura says
Yes, that’s normal, sounds like it’s just fine!
Mary Stapp says
Just FYI~ I recently discovered that if you add baking soda to your sourdough recipe it will counteract the sour taste. It works. I’ve made 4 loaves so far with NO sourdough flavor. So if your goal is to simply replace your sandwich bread then just add a little baking soda to whatever recipe you use :)
Sabrina says
Hi, Laura! I just recently found this series, and I’ve been trying to get a starter going. However, I am on day five with no froth and no or maybe very little bubbles. Help!
Susan Amy says
A friend from church gave me some starter, but long story…I killed it. I’m now trying to start my own. My grandfather gave me some of his starter years ago, and life got in the way. If I had known how dear that would have been to me to be able to keep it going long after he’s been gone, I’d have tried harder to maintain it. I truly enjoy reading your blog and all of the feedback from others. I just stirred mine up an hour ago, but I’m looking forward to experiencing all the steps I’ve been reading about.