Dearest friends, I am working with an "heirloom" starter that is well over 100 years old. It was created from raisins (before everything dried was also sulfured) as a fund-raiser for a church in Central Ohio just about the turn of the 20th Century. A student of mine gave me some of the starter in the mid-70s and I carried it with me for about seven years. Less-fortunate times forced me to give it up but years later a friend in Central Ohio spoke of a starter he was given. It sounded all too familiar. In fact, it was the same one. I was given another starter and it behaved exactly as I remembered. This too was a direct descendent of the original; effectively, I am only the "fourth owner" of it. As I tell folks, please remember that these are largely "wine yeasts" (as opposed to beer or later bread yeasts.) They may not behave at all the way one might expect. Mine produces a delectable bread with a dense crumb, not entirely unlike the first stage of Zweibach. It also makes delightful pretzels as well as very good rye and marble rye breads. The gluten structure is not as sturdy so slashing the loaves to "release the Devil" results in something more suited to making "Melbas". Every two weeks at the most, the starter is activated and wonderful breads are baked. I wish you all greatest success with your baking. RBS, CCB at J&R Kitchens in Gravesend, NH

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