I want to thank you for this post, I took part of my starter and dried it in March, as a back up and it is easier to give to a person that doesn't want to start working with sourdough right this minute. A few days ago I took out the discard and started a batch of sourdough pretzels, fed the remainder, because I ended up with the SS bow with a handle on it I couldn't put it in the incubator I use for warmth. I lit my oven for a few minutes, then turned it off and placed the bowl in the warmed oven intending to later start some sourdough rye bread. Later in the day I was shaping the pretzels and considering the baking soda bath from your other recipe, I noted the two recipes cook at very different temps and times and turned on my oven, by the time I noticed i had a bowl of cooked starter, what a mess, the plastic is all melted down the sides. My heart sank, I have had this starter for 3 years, note the last one died the same death. This was the first time I had put it in the oven, and the last time! Then I remembered the dried starter, I soaked it overnight at room temp ( my house is cold so about 50 degrees), then in the morning fed it the 1/4 cup flour, it was bubbling within 4 hours, so I fed it again and within 4 hours it was trying to overtake the small bowl it was in, since it seemed rather thick I went right to a regular feeding, and placed it in the crock. By later in the evening it was like my old start starter ready to work! Tonight I will make my rye bread with an overnight rise in the fridge. You definitely saved the day!

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