Proper Care and Feeding of Your Live Yeast Start

by Lynette Robinson

Your New Baby Natural Yeast Start

Don't you just love the smell of fresh homemade bread?  Do you have a little tummy issue with bread?  Well, you just might be in luck.  Ever since cave woman first rubbed two sticks together, well, maybe not that far back, but for a very long time, woman has baked bread.  Man came home from a rough day hunting or farming and sat down to a big bowl of stew and a hunk of hot bread with butter and jam.  Bread is a comfort food that fills us and makes us feel better.  My taste buds are active now and I am in luck because, actually, I have a batch in the mixer even as we speak.

OK, let's get back to business.  I've heard a few women say that they want to make their own natural yeast start from scratch and Yes! you can do that.  There are even instructions on making your own yeast start in Melissa Richardson's book, The Art of  The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast but, I have also heard them say that it is more difficult than they thought it would be or their bread isn't as sweet and smooth as mine.  You see, your natural yeast start is a living organism and as we know, all living organisms have unique characteristics.  The characteristic of my natural yeast start is that it is healthy, has been around for awhile and is full of the love that I send it every time I feed it with the very best, very best food and most perfect water.  I love my natural yeast start and besides, I don't want you to get discouraged before you even bake your first loaf.

Tattler Lid on the left and a canning flat upside down on the right.

If you have received a 1/2 or 1/4 cup of start, the first thing you want to do is feed it as soon as you get it home.  I feed mine about once a week.  For two feedings it gets organic spelt flour and for one feeding it gets organic unbleached white flour.  The white flour keeps it sweet.  Your start should be kept in the frig but in the front where you will see it every time you open the door.  If liquid, usually a little darkish color starts to form, this means that your start needs to be fed again.  Don't be surprised if it needs nourishment a little more often for the first few weeks as it is adjusting to it's new environment.  Make sure that it's new home is large enough to accommodate a double in volume as it grows and then falls a bit.  I bake around 4 loaves a week and my start lives in a wide mouth pint jar with a tattler lid minus the rubber ring.

Feeding Your Natural Yeast Start

It isn't always necessary to remove your start from its bottle but you can if you like.  For your first feeding, go ahead and measure it out in to a bowl.  At this time note the consistency of your start because you will want it to be just like this after feeding each time.  The measurements aren't exact and you can always feed a little more if you would like a larger start.  For your first feeding add 1 Cup of either organic unbleached white flour or organic spelt flour to your start and about 1/4 Cup of water. (I filter my water then let it sit out on my cupboard for at least 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate.  You can also feed it with bottled water.)  I love Smart Water for this.  Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon as your start does not like too much metal.  Yes, my mixing bowl is metal but this is just what I was taught.  Stir and add little bits more of water until your start is the original consistency.  Put your start in to it's new home, bottle or jar and make sure the lid allows a little breathing space. Referigerate and watch for your start to raise a bit and have a few bubbles.  As long as you have fed and watered it correctly and sent it a little love, it will make lovely bread, with your help, for years to come.

When I Need a Bigger Start

This is a good place to talk about your natural yeast start's dwelling.  When I'm teaching classes and need a larger start, I keep her in a 2-quart jar, If you are baking multiple times a week or for a family, you might need a 1-quart size jar,  DO NOT use an air tight lid.  You can simply flip the flat upside down or use a Reusable Tattler Lid.  Tattlers are great for dry food and for more acidic food storage also.  If you use a Tattler lid, don't put the rubber ring on the jar and this will give a little breathing air without drying out your start.

Referigerate and feed your start.  Check it every time you open your frig door or at least every 7-10 days.  You'll get the hang of it.  Enjoy!

P.S. I do very highly recommend Melissa's book that is full of great explanations and recipes.  My favorite bread recipe is Honey Molasses Sandwich Bread found on page 56.  Melissa's Second book, Beyond Basics with Natural Yeast  Her recipe for Dad's  Sourdough Pancakes found in page 62 is the best.  I've fed many a missionary at camp with these pancakes.  You just have to remember to mix them up the night before.

I'm going to post an exquisite white wheat bread recipe that was adapted from a 100 year old yeast recipe.  A sweet woman from our ward, who has since passed away, used to supply our Sacrament bread every Sunday and since she is gone, my husband has said how much he missed Neta's bread.  I was fortunate to find it in the ward cookbook from her ward, as we were caught up in a boundary change a few years ago, and adapted it to my natural yeast.  I get raves each time I share a loaf.  Watch for it.

And in the meantime please follow my blog and join me on Facebook for tips and tricks on eating healthy by adding more whole foods to your diet and on food preservation and storage.