Mix together in a GLASS or PLASTIC BOWL the above ingredients.
Do not use
metal utensils. Cover the bowl with a tight fitting lid and allow
to sit
in a warm, draft-free location for 4 to 7 days, gently stirring
once a day.
You may use your starter after 4 days.
To use your starter, simply remove the amount called for in the
recipe
and add to the other ingredients. Replace the amount removed with
equal
amounts of water/milk and bread/unbleached all purpose flour.
I always
used bread flour.
After feeding your starter, leave on counter for 24 hours. At
the end of
that period you may refrigerate your starter. You must refeed
at least
once every 7 days, so I use my starter once a week. If you do
not plan to
use it, then take one cup out and throw away and feed.
If you will be away on vacation you may freeze your starter, thaw
it in
the refrigerator upon your return. As soon as it is thawed, remove
at
least one cup and feed as above.
Note: I'm not sure which of Donna's cookbooks this came from originally, but she has several cookbooks for the bread machine, all great I'm sure! (Saw them at Sam's recently)