Questions on Camaldoli (Italian) Sourdough Starter

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• From Mindy at 11/2/12 11:10 AM
  • Is this starter reusable like the buttermilk starter?
  • Yes, all of our sourdough starters are reusable and the Camaldoli has a wonderful flavor.
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• From Melody at 5/2/12 10:49 PM
  • Hi. I'm having trouble deciding which starter to get. The Nourished Kitchen blog that I am learning from said she prefers a white flour starter and the Parisian starter is her favorite, being pretty mild. But then I read about this Italian one being good for pizza dough and I also looked at the New England one and that sounded nice too. I would like a mildl, less sour bread, but one that is good for pizza and other things besides bread too, if possible. I once tasted something called Friendship bread, which was a kind of sourdough I think, and I loved the mild homey flavor of that. Any help would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    Melody
  • It can be tough to decide but keep in mind that sourdough starter is very versatile and can be used to make bread, biscuits, pizza dough, cookies etc. Changing the flour and adjusting the proof time will also change the flavor. All of our sourdough articles and videos can be found here: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/sourdough and if you have any questions, send an e-mail to customersupport@culturesforhealth.com
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• From Lute at 7/8/11 9:19 PM
  • I bought the Camaldoli starter, and activated it per your instructions. During the first 2-3 days, it appeared vigorous, and gave off a lovely, almost flowery sourdough aroma. On the 3rd or 4th day, the bubbling vigor seemed unchanged, but the aroma became dull, such that it now smells like white flour activated with a commercial yeast; no real sour aroma. It is now roughly day 6; the vigorous activity remains constant, but the aroma still smells like flour and standard baking yeast. I haven't baked with it yet, for fear it will taste like it smells. FYI I have another starter I have been using for 6 months, and the aroma smells the same as the day I got it from a friend; very sourdough-like aroma. I have fed both starters the same flour, in a manner consistent with your instructions.
    
    What happened?
  • Sounds like something we might be able to help you with by doing some troubleshooting. Can you please contact customersupport@culturesforhealth.com so we can chat about it?
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• From Jessica at 2/16/11 3:13 AM
  • If I buy a white-flour starter, can I feed it with other flours (ie. whole wheat, kamut, barley) without ruining it?
  • Yes, you can change flours in a sourdough starter. It's best to do it gradually, so the yeast and bacteria have a chance to get used to the new food. So, maybe the first day you replace a quarter of the flour with a new flour, and make sure the starter stays healthy. Then the next transition would be half new flour, and stabilize the starter again, etc.
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