I was given a 'starter' several years ago, and the earliest time anyone can remember that this starter was around was 1935! They knew it was older, because it came from the ladies grandmother. I have kept it alive and used it often. At one time, I kept increasing it, and increasing it until I had a huge volume of it in bowls all over my kitchen counters! I bought a dozen glass jars with spring-loaded lids. I divided the sourdough in the jars and made bread baskets with recipes and instructions for maintaining the sourdough, a jar of the starter and a jar of freezer jam. These were well received Christmas gifts one year. It's a nice way to share your starter! Also, I was also told by 'old sourdoughs' that the liquid that forms on top of the starter was called 'hooch' and was a cheap way the old gold miners out on their claim, got drunk!! CC

• Reply