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My sourdough starter finally worked after 11 tries

I kept reading about people's starters going bad or never bubbling. Mine just smelled like feet for two straight weeks until I switched to filtered water and whole wheat flour. Has anyone else had a starter come to life after making one simple change?

3 comments

3 Comments

terry6771mo ago

Honestly people get way too precious about sourdough. Toss the starter, buy a packet of yeast from the grocery store for a dollar, and have bread ready in a few hours instead of a week. Way less stress and it tastes just as good.

sanchez.pat27d ago

Tastes just as good" is a bold statement and I say that as someone who has definitely tried to pass off a loaf of storebought as "artisanal homemade" before lol. Look, I get it. I have killed more starters than I care to admit. Like one time I named mine, got attached, and then forgot to feed it for a week. RIP Gerald. But there's something about that tangy sourdough taste you just can't fake with a yeast packet, even if it does take a couple days. Then again, I'm the person who will spend three days perfecting a loaf and then burn my mouth on the first bite because I have zero patience, so maybe I'm not the best judge here.

elliotm701mo ago

Not exactly true there @terry677 lol. A good sourdough doesn't take a week, just a few days if you feed it right. And it definitely doesn't taste the same as a quick yeast loaf - different texture and tang.