Update: I was at the new bakery on 4th Street and saw something wild with their sourdough

I went in yesterday morning to grab a loaf and saw them storing their starter in a huge clear plastic tub right next to a hot oven. The starter looked super thin and watery, almost like soup. When I asked about their feeding schedule, the baker said they just 'topped it off' with flour and water whenever it got low. That's a sure way to kill your culture's strength and get a flat, sour brick. Has anyone else seen a bakery cutting corners like this with their starter care?

2 comments

2 Comments

nora_barnes2mo ago

Topping it off" is the baking version of never changing your car's oil, just adding more. I saw a place once that kept their starter in a metal bowl and wondered why it tasted like pennies.

daniel_martinez842mo ago

Whoa, that metal bowl thing is a wild mental picture. I honestly never gave "topping off" much thought, just figured it was the normal way to do it. But comparing it to never changing your oil makes SO much sense. You just convinced me to finally ditch that lazy habit and start fresh with my starter.