My starter has been in fridge and left alone since last winter( about 10 months). It has a grayish color liquid on top but smells good. Can I use it with success or should I start over?
For the sake of a few grams of flour and some water why not give it a go. If it worries you, you could drain off the liquid and remove any discoloured material and then take a sample of the remaining to provide the seed. If you don't already, it might pay to incorporate a proportion of rye flour in what you feed it (say 10%).
Ten months might be stretching it a bit, the most I have gone is about six weeks while on holidays. That took a couple of feeds, after four weeks recently, first feed and straight into it.
If nothing significant happens after a few feeds, you are well started on your new starter anyway.
Let us know how you go and good luck with your projects.
Is from Ed & Jean Wood's Classic Sourdoughs, where they suggest reviving fridge starter thus:
Fill the starter jar almost to the top with lukewarm water, mix thoroughly and discard all but about an inch left in the bottom - this reduces the acidity of the starter mixture, which will help the yeasts to grow
feed with 90g flour and enough water to return to a thick batter consistency
leave to ferment for a few hours (maybe longer if it has been a very long time; you can also repeat the procedure - ideally the mix should be bubbling up inside the jar after 4 hours in a warm environment)
Replies
Hello Shirley,
For the sake of a few grams of flour and some water why not give it a go. If it worries you, you could drain off the liquid and remove any discoloured material and then take a sample of the remaining to provide the seed. If you don't already, it might pay to incorporate a proportion of rye flour in what you feed it (say 10%).
Ten months might be stretching it a bit, the most I have gone is about six weeks while on holidays. That took a couple of feeds, after four weeks recently, first feed and straight into it.
If nothing significant happens after a few feeds, you are well started on your new starter anyway.
Let us know how you go and good luck with your projects.
Farinam
Is from Ed & Jean Wood's Classic Sourdoughs, where they suggest reviving fridge starter thus: