I've been baking with sourdough for 25 years now, with starter that was carried on the Alaskan gold rush trail, passed down through my family for generations. I've only today found this sourdough blog, although I love all of PJ's other blogs. I have read everyone's experiences and am glad there are so many people enjoying sourdough. Sourdough is very forgiving, it does like to be fed each week, but if you can't get to it for awhile, it will not die. I have taken some sponge out and put it in the freezer as a backup, in case something happens to my fridge starter. When you use the freezer starter, you will need to feed it once or twice before you are able to use it in a recipe. Life happens, I have accidently gone for weeks/months without feeding it and it always comes back. Unlike KA, I do find that any metal will kill the sponge/starter, so I do not use any metal utensils or bowls to work up the dough or batter. When baking break I knead it with my hands, keeps my hands strong. :) I use warm milk with flour to feed it instead of water. Like the blogger from the southwest experienced, when you feed the sponge, it will grow, so you shouldn't feed it in the crock, but it in a different bowl, then move it to the crock for storage. Starter needs air to breathe, it shouldn't be kept in an airtight container in the fridge either, use a crock, a jar, etc. not tupperware.

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