camwyn | It lives.

Yesterday evening, before I got changed from my office clothes, I added about a cup of flour and 3/4 of a cup of Poland Spring water to my starter. I stirred the bejeezus out of it, then put it into the oven, where I left it to stay nice and warm thanks to the pilot light. I fully expected to spend several more days feeding it and stirring air into it. The information from the microbiologist at Sourdoughs International (really, how many of you have cooking products that come with instructions from a microbiologist- or a label reading 'WARNING, STRONG FUMES'?) said that I was to do this every twelve hours or so until the starter developed about an inch or so of foam on top, and that it could take up to five days and it had to be done regardless of the starter's visual condition, since the lactobacilli weren't always obvious about what they were doing.

This morning I remembered the starter as I was on my way out the door. I pulled the four-cup Pyrex pitcher with vented rubber lid out of the oven, thinking to feed it before I left.

Inch and a half of happy bubbly foam.

My starter is now quietly dozing in the downstairs fridge. When I get home I will warm it up and feed it again, and then prod it gently into producing a loaf of bread over the next two or so days. I may also prod the Alaska starter the same way I did with the Yukon one; there's a chance there are still active cultures in there, as I didn't throw it away. You never know.

In other news I have decided to make Nanaimo bars for my family Christmas on Saturday. I would ordinarily make Miniature Beef Wellingtons (which only share 'piece of beef' and 'puff pastry' characteristics with real Beef Wellingtons, but I'm not gonna argue with my cooking professor's name for 'em), but my aunt has requested we refrain from bringing products that use the oven as hers is going to be quite busy. Since my mother and sister are both doing appetizers, I think I can get away with a dessert. Especially one like Nanaimo Bars, which were what miners in British Columbia were using for energy bars long before anyone else ever even came up with the concept...