http://www.veganbaking.net/ 558-564 http://www.veganbaking.net/articles-and-guides/558-how-to-make-a-wild-yeast-starter For many years I enjoyed a starter using potato flakes. I let it die and would love to start a new one. Are you familiar with this type of starter and do you know if you can use the same procedure for it - or do you need to "capture" the yeast with a flour based starter and switch to potato flakes? I tried starting it with bakers yeast and it went flat by the second day. Thanks for any advice or opinions! ]]> Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:32:38 -0400 558-530 http://www.veganbaking.net/articles-and-guides/558-how-to-make-a-wild-yeast-starter Do you replace the cheesecloth each time or do you leave it off at some point..just making sure. Thanks! ]]> Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:05:24 -0400 558-498 http://www.veganbaking.net/articles-and-guides/558-how-to-make-a-wild-yeast-starter Just a thought, I have heard many times that using metal bowls or utensils affects the flavor of sourdaough starts in a negative way. Just a thought... ]]> Mon, 13 Jun 2011 20:36:14 -0400 558-438 http://www.veganbaking.net/articles-and-guides/558-how-to-make-a-wild-yeast-starter I there, I loved your wild yeast article, very informative. I created a starter using whole grain spelt flour (which is a form of wheat). Everytime I stir it, the water is at the top and the flour at the bottom. It does bubble when I stir it or add the flour and water each day. Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong? ]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 17:54:36 -0400 558-349 http://www.veganbaking.net/articles-and-guides/558-how-to-make-a-wild-yeast-starter Fantastic! Thank you for the great write-up. I make a lot of bread (mostly in the fashion of Jim Lahey's No-knead Bread), but have not yet attempted to make and use my own wild yeast starter. I began one this morning on my own, disregarding all of the "fancy" and tedious how-to's published or written out there. I thought to myself that it couldn't be that difficult?! Common sense tells me that leavened bread making, like lots of fermented action, was brought on by accident, and then by experimentation. I am SO glad to see that your guide for a wild yeast starter matches the one I have started this morning. My husband and a friend of ours have been experimenting with making beer, and I am glad to see that there is a connection between beer making and bread making in your write-up. I assumed there was a relationship when I saw what was included in the beer-making kit - the ingredients are all so similar to bread making; it's the proportions that are different, and either way, the grains are subjected to heat, and there is a fermentation process involved. My curiosity is peaked, needless to say. However, I think I'll keep my hands out of their beer just as long as they let me have the kitchen back when they're done. Thank you again for a great write-up. ]]> Thu, 17 Feb 2011 02:58:39 -0500