[Ag-eq] Taming wild yeasties

[Tracy Carcione]

I'm having some fun, running experiments in microbiology, aka creating my
own sourdough starter, trying to convince wild yeasts to come play with me.

I have a guidebook, The Sullivan Street Bakery cookbook.  It describes well
how the starter should smell and taste when it's ready to use.  I thought
mine could be ready to go, but it didn't actually leaven, so I added some
store-bought yeast and made bread anyway.  Even so, it added a nice taste to
the bread.

The book says that, when the yeasts have done their thing, there will be a
foamy residue of flour on the side of the jar.  I thought I could feel that,
but maybe I'm mistaken.

The book also says that I could catch more yeast by getting some off leaves
in the garden, like kale or cabbage leaves.  It says the yeast is a powdery,
water-resistant layer on the underside of a leaf, but I'm not sure how to
tell that from dirt or whatever.  Not to mention that most of my leaves have
now frozen.  I'm sure the cold isn't helping my experiments, even inside.

However, it's a small investment in time and flour, so I'll keep carrying
on.  According to the book, I can create a starter that is to my taste, and
not as sour and sharp as the stuff sold commercially.

Tracy