Questions on San Francisco Sourdough Starter

Sort by Date Helpfulness

• From I at 5/19/13 5:35 PM
  • Hello,
    
    Help! Please.
    
    I made pancakes with the discarded dough.
    
    The texture was similar to rubber.
    
    The taste... I hope that the bread will taste better
    than the pancakes.
    
    Maybe this sourdough doesn't produce tasty pancakes.
    
    
    ????????,
    
    Frustrated
  • Rubbery pancakes are normally caused by over processing the protein in the flour (stirring too much) or using a flour with too much protein, like bread flour.
    
    The San Francisco Sourdough Starter usually makes great pancakes. You might try using a different flour, stirring less and if the flavor is not quite like you're looking for, the tips on manipulating can be found here: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/how-to-make-truly-sour-sourdough-bread/
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From AZSteve at 4/21/13 12:53 PM
  • This starter came up as an heirloom starter. Are you able to give details of its pedigree? Able to verify the region it came from and how far back it has been used?
    
  • I appreciate your interest.
    
    We acquired and have maintained the cultures for approximately 4 years.
    
    We maintain the cultures from evolving away from the original culture by only working with one at a time and we activate them from a previous dried batch, manufacture more, and dry it again. The drying and reactivating process doesn't harm the culture and ensures it's not sitting around in-between working picking up other yeasts and bacteria.
    
    No we do not share additional information on them.
    
    I hope that answers your question.
    
    Best wishes
    Maggie
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Kim Meekins at 3/12/13 1:03 AM
  • How many ounces is in the box of San Francisco Sourdough Starter and does it really taste like sourdough from San Francisco? I have had other "sourdough" breads that were sadly lacking that great flavor.
  • Our San Francisco sourdough starter culture contains Lactobacillus sanfrancisco bacteria and wild yeast Candida humilis giving this sourdough starter that famous San Francisco taste. The package contains .24 oz. of dehydrated starter, just mix with flour and water to start your journey into the wonderful world of sourdough!
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Ira at 2/4/13 12:30 PM
  • My starter come up very sour. And the bread was very sour as well. I used the right proportions but somehow it's really VERY sour. Should the proper starter be sour?
  • The San Francisco Sourdough Starter makes a traditionally sour bread. To reduce or increase the sourness of your bread, there are several tips in this article: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/how-to-make-truly-sour-sourdough-bread
    
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From RickF at 11/16/12 7:44 PM
  • Hi.. Just wondering if these Sourdough starters are in a dried form or in a ball of dough of some sort? I've tried other cultures from elsewhere that came in a dried format and I'm likely not going to be around when they arrive in the mail.. I just need to inform the neighbor kid to put it in fridge or a cool spot if required (since it's almost winter here).. Thx!
  • They are in fact dried! The sourdough starters are fine at room temperature for 6+ months. So even if your neighbor simply put the package in your home where it's room temperature, it would be fine!
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Heather at 7/21/12 3:28 PM
  • Can this starter be used with white whole wheat flour, or should I stick with regular white flour?
  • The San Francisco Sourdough Starter should be fed with regular white flour. Once your starter is well-established and active, you can switch a portion of it to a different type of flour, such as white whole wheat flour. Always retain a portion of your master starter as a back-up.
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Sarah Mulholland at 5/7/12 2:45 PM
  • Would it be alright to use fresh ground hard white wheat flour with this starter?
  • Feeding your sourdough culture with freshly ground flour is problematic as sourdough culture prefers aged flour. Therefore we recommend placing your freshly ground flour in a bowl on the counter covered lightly with a dish towel for several weeks before using it to feed your sourdough culture. Once it is time to bake bread, you can use freshly ground flour as the flour portion of the bread recipe.
    
    Hard White Wheat Flour is a whole grain flour. White flour typically refers to refined flour. If you have just received your sourdough culture, first get the culture going (feed it a few times) using the flour the culture is accustomed to (white flour for San Francisco Sourdough Starter.)
    Once the culture is clearly healthy and flourishing, split the sourdough culture in two. Place one half in the fridge and work with the second half. Sometimes there is a bit of a learning curve when switching a sourdough culture to a new type of flour. The half starter in the fridge serves as a back up just in case. Start feeding the second half of the starter with the new type of flour.
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Troy at 3/2/12 12:34 PM
  • Is this product vegan?
  • Our sourdough cultures contain no animal byproducts.
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Sharon Anne at 8/21/11 10:53 PM
  • How many feedings can I expect before the starter totally converts into just the wild yeasts of my local area?
  • If you feed the San Francisco sourdough regularly, and store it properly, the culture should be strong enough to maintain its integrity. This is an heirloom variety starter, that has been propagated for many years.
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No
• From Lisa Renich at 6/26/11 6:25 PM
  • Is your SF Starter Gluten-free. I have a sneaking that it isn't so I need to know how to wash out the wheat flour & make sure it becomes GF. Also, what kind of GF flour would be best to use? Thanks.
  • Our SF sourdough starter is not gluten-free, as it has been grown with regular wheat flour. The only gluten-free sourdough starter we carry is the Brown Rice Sourdough. Whether or not your starter contains gluten as you work with it would depend on the kind of flour you feed it. You could use any gluten-free flour and convert the starter to work with that flour. We have an article on how to convert sourdough over to a different flour: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/blog/2011/06/30/switching-sourdough-starter-to-a-new-type-of-flour/
  • Do you find this question helpful?  Yes   No

Ask Your Own Question