I've asked bakers at bakeries for some, twice, and both times, they were happy to share.

Anonymous wrote:NYT has a recipe for starter with flour and pineapple juice. I keep meaning to start a starter but haven't done it yet.

That’s silly, as much as I like NYT’s cooking site. Flour, water, and a few days are foolproof.

NYT has a recipe for starter with flour and pineapple juice. I keep meaning to start a starter but haven't done it yet.

I asked on buy nothing last time I needed one. It’s super easy and sourdough bakers are often just straight up discarding their starters so it’s a good way to prevent waste as well as being the easiest option for you.

Anonymous wrote:Just one clarification re: flour and water. If you live in DC, the tap water is highly chlorinated and thus can kill the wild yeast. So you’ll want to use bottled water or let the chlorine in the tap water evaporate overnight before using.

Filtered water works just as well too. Just not tap.

Just one clarification re: flour and water. If you live in DC, the tap water is highly chlorinated and thus can kill the wild yeast. So you’ll want to use bottled water or let the chlorine in the tap water evaporate overnight before using.

King Arthur Flour website has directions. All you need is flour and water and a clean container. Or if you’re super-impatient, post an ISO in a neighborhood buy-nothing group. Most likely, someone will have some to share!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to start baking sourdough bread but understand I need a starter. Where do I get this? Do I have to find someone who already bakes and get from them?

TIA!

Yes that's best but you can order a dried one online. I think you have to feed it for 2 weeks before using, but I would check. If you belong to Buy Nothing, people will share if you ask.

Is there a difference in quality between starting you own with a kit and getting some from someone else?

I posted it above. You don’t need a kit you just need flour and water from your kitchen to make your own.

There is no difference in quality provided that you get starter from a trusted source.

Do you have any friends that might have some? I got some from a friend at the start of the pandemic in 2020 and it’s still going strong in my fridge. I’ve given some to other people and would give some to you too if I k ew you IRL

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to start baking sourdough bread but understand I need a starter. Where do I get this? Do I have to find someone who already bakes and get from them?

TIA!

Yes that's best but you can order a dried one online. I think you have to feed it for 2 weeks before using, but I would check. If you belong to Buy Nothing, people will share if you ask.

Is there a difference in quality between starting you own with a kit and getting some from someone else?

You can make your own. It’s easy and will take you about two weeks to get to a point where you can start baking with it.

Google King Arthur flower starter recipe. It gives you very good directions.

If you know somebody that already has a starter, you can start baking pretty much right away with it. But making your own starter requires patients, but at least for me, gave me immense satisfaction. I have been baking since 2018 with my own strain.

Anonymous wrote:I would like to start baking sourdough bread but understand I need a starter. Where do I get this? Do I have to find someone who already bakes and get from them?

TIA!

Yes that's best but you can order a dried one online. I think you have to feed it for 2 weeks before using, but I would check. If you belong to Buy Nothing, people will share if you ask.

I would like to start baking sourdough bread but understand I need a starter. Where do I get this? Do I have to find someone who already bakes and get from them?

TIA!