I realized I don't really have a name for my starter; rather, I name my jars. I generally use one for my starter and one for the levain for my next cook. When I feed my starter, I switch them to refresh the starter in the clean jar. Right now, Sir Issac Gluten is due for a feeding, so I'll feed it in Charles Doughwin. (Also, I just realized Charles Darwin is a "Sir" as well, so I have to update that label.) Recipe: I always feed my starter 1:1:1. I make 150g of starter at a time, so 50g starter, 50g flour, and 50g water. My flour mix is 5% rye, 10% whole wheat, and 85% AP. After it rises a bit (about 6-8 hours), I put it in the fridge for a few weeks before feeding again. To keep track of the starter level, I use blue painters tape and label the amount with a sharpie. Anytime I take out starter for a bake, I write the new reduced amount on the tape. Good luck with your cooks!

by hey_grill

16 Comments

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  2. tararira1

    The problem with labeling jars is that you need to wash them and the label will come off.

  3. Strong-Second-2446

    It’s what’s on the inside that counts

  4. loftygrains

    I named mine Bready Krueger because it has a life of its own and when you mix it up at its peak it looks like Freddy Krueger’s skin. If I named a jar I think I’d start with something like “Jar #1”.

  5. FlyingSteamGoat

    Giving a starter an individual name ignores the community aspect of a Symbiotic Community Of Bacteria and Yeast (our kombucha cousins call it a SCOBY) so I refer to my starter as “My Li’l buddies”.

    In the same vein, I just realized that calling a starter “The Baker Street Irregulars” would titillate my Holmesian tendencies…

  6. Wouldn’t giving a name to a sourdough starter fall into the Ship of Theseus issue? The starter is in constant flux and the yeast dies, flour and water are replaced, yet we treat it as the same. The name survives even as the substance doesn’t, so its identity exists more in continuity of process than in matter.

    How do you resolve that? 🙁

  7. oogieboogiexo

    I named my starter jack. I need to find a name for my discard tho

  8. Unpopular opinion: naming your starter is cringe.

  9. RudaKicia3917

    My fridge, top shelf on the door, is inhabited by Frank (San Francisco native), Junior (Pueblo CO local), Osiris (Egyptian, Cairo area), Hugh (Australian, Sidney Highriser), and Jean-Luc (native of Paris, France). Everyone except for Junior is fed sterilized in microwave flour. They all produce baked goods of different flavor.

    I am in a sourdough baking group on FB. During a discussion on starters and different practices to feed and maintained them, I wrote that after feeding Frank I put him back in the fridge.

    That gave me 2 weeks suspension for promoting harm.

  10. Pambi1313

    My starter is named Arthur, because I use King Arthur flour. Not very original (I see you, Bready Krueger) but there you go. 🤷🏼‍♀️

  11. ndkismet

    I named mine Francine Fak… because she’s a bitch 🥲

  12. Ok-Grapefruit1284

    Yeah actually I agree, my kid got attached to the name of the starter and keeps trying to track the original and it’s driving me nuts.

  13. GardenDog22

    I’m terrible at thinking up names, so it’s a named starter and no name jars. I’ll admit I’m always thrilled when Vincent Van Dough’s ear shows up.