Thanks for the blog and all the great tips here! A couple of questions. We got our starter about 2 weeks ago. Fed it as directed. The following week, we did a feed and used the discard to make the rustic loaves which were good, but not very sour (understood and expected). Last night I took the starter out of the fridge to make bread today, discarded the cup, fed with the water and flour and left it out on the counter in the crock. This morning I woke up to a MESS! The starter had risen and bubbled so much that it spilled out of the crock, all the way down the sides and all over the kitchen counter! We live in the desert, it is very dry and warm here, about 90 degrees yesterday and it is November. The house was 72 this morning with our cooler on. Is it just too warm? Do you feed the starter in a separate bowl overnight then place into the crock for storing in the fridge? I was able to fetch out a cup to start my bread this morning and the starter is in a bowl with its new feed and has been out for only an hour or so and is very bubbly and has more than doubled in size. Any suggestions? I also have noticed that my dough is not nearly as sticky as it seems most others are. Again, that our flour is so dry? I measure and do not weigh it. If I weighed it, won't it weigh less due to the lack of moisture content? Therefore it would require even more flour giving me an even drier dough than I already have? Ahhh, the Sourdough that ate Cleveland scenario, we know it well. The good news is that it means your starter is healthy and vigorous. I find it does help to use a separate bowl to feed the starter. It gives you more room and allows you to clean out the crock before putting the starter back in. As for feeding, do measure the flour by weight if possible. Weighing is the most accurate way to measure, 4 ounces will always be 4 ounces. Try using cool water to feed the starter, and place it in a cool place. 72 is on the warmer side for rising. No need for the fridge, but try to find a cool corner. Hope this helps! ~ MaryJane

• Reply