I started my starter from scratch on October 3, 2024, which is pretty much exactly a year ago. It took me about a month to get it working great. I was super thrilled when I made my first loaf. Then I became obsessed. I made at least 20-30 loaves of bread, sourdough bagels, donuts, cookies, anything you can think of. I just celebrated my sourdough's 1st birthday last week, and made a beautiful chocolate marble sourdough loaf.
Then also last week, my aunt came to visit, and is staying for a month. She helps out with chores,cooks and is fun to be around. However, she cleaned out spoiled food out of my fridge, I'm not sure when. You see where I'm getting here? This month I have barely baked any sourdough, so I forgot to tell her I had a starter. She threw it out thinking it's spoiled. When I thought of my starter today and rummaged everywhere in my fridge and couldn't find it, I asked her. She admitted she threw it out (although she isn't aware that sourdough exists) and I had a MAJOR CRASH OUT. I started crying uncontrollably. I was so excited to make another chocolate loaf. I thought I would pass my baby down to my children and it would outlive me. I guess not anymore. RIP to my starter, you will be missed.
I am almost certainly getting some starter from a neighbor so I don't need to start over, but it's not confirmed. I really hope I don't have to start over.
by Impossible_Fall_1106
40 Comments
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Your story was beyond traumatizing! I’m sure she didn’t even get it. Did you promptly take her to a hotel?
Noooooooooooooo!!!!!!
Hoping you have a close by resource for a new one. If my starters expire I would take it as an opportunity to buy a fresh starter from King Arthur Baking 😀
Time to throw the aunt out!
Im so sorry this happened to you! Next time, once your new starter becomes hearty and established, be sure to dehydrate a bunch so that of this should ever happen again you’ve got a back up!
Now I want to make the chocolate marble bread. Will you share the recipe?
You have my sympathy.
Mine died last weekend. I had a big container of yogurt that unbeknownst to me had a crack in the bottom, and leaked whey all over the refrigerator shelf, and onto the lid of my starter. I guess some got inside because when I was cleaning everything up, my starter had a layer of pink on top.. farewell Princess, you were good to us.
https://preview.redd.it/fiunl47ra6uf1.png?width=1024&format=png&auto=webp&s=a15cd130a5dd7849868aff72b8b701c8d0ba73ad
Silly AI typos …
That really sucks. I donr blame your aunt, she didn’t know. But it does still suck.
Next time you get your starter going good, take some out, spread it on a parchment paper and let it air dry. You can keep a “backup” of your starter this way.
Try not to stress over it too much, you can rebuild a very similar started using the same flour you fed with. Most of the microorganisms in a starter come from the flour and your kitchen environment and over time your starter will be dominated by new microorganisms from the flour you feed it. It’s sort of a Ship of Theseus situation.
My advice is give a good friend who wants to start sourdough some of yours in case it dies again. My wife has 2 people who have her starter
She came w good intentions:( most people won’t attempt to clean a mess that isn’t theirs
My husband did this with my 2023 starter last month same circumstances too 🙁 thank God my crunchy aunt had some starter, but Fredrick the Sourdough starter will never be forgotten
If you need to start over:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/SourdoughStarter/comments/1h9w5lp/fix_your_starter_in_one_easy_step_ascorbic_acid/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SourdoughStarter/comments/1h9w5lp/fix_your_starter_in_one_easy_step_ascorbic_acid/)
I’m so sorry that’s beyond traumatizing 😱😭😭
Famous bad-boy baker Richard Hart is very unsentimental about starter. He believes that a strong young starter is just as good or better than one passed down through the generations.
Hopefully that will bring you a small measure of comfort.
This is why you spread your starter far and wide – encouraging others to bake to continue your legacy, bestowing upon them the gift of thy fungi.
So if your levain should ever pass on from this world, a worthy successor will rise from amongst its progeny.
So what are you waiting for? Starter a new legacy!
If you want to buy something solid and dehydrated. I highly recommend Southern Sourdough Co. I’ve kept her choochin since Feb. I do sit in in the fridge sometimes for a month or so without feeding and she comes back
If you’re by chance in Illinois I’m happy to pass along some starter!
It’s a myth… That the starter had anything to do with that beautiful bread. Make another one and hide it when the aunt is around.
Ohhhhh nooooo! I dehydrated some of mine which I know is good bc I have some to a friend that’s made beautiful loaves! Mine sooooo suck lol! My 3 rd try is by far the worst! I definitely rocked the chocolate chip cookies w my starter! Anywhoooooo I don’t mind sending you some of mine!!!
https://preview.redd.it/ve7bb4gj27uf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef17218156627136a178da2ec9971c66383cecee
She tossed your child. I would be devastated too
Don’t crash out
I just got my THIRD free levanin today! Yes today!! I have some from a bakery in town and also a big chef so honestly start going to bakeries and asking if you can bum some starter. I mix it in with mine and it’s just got all this fun friendly bacteria traveling friends
I’m really sorry this happened. I think I’d react the same way you did and cry.
Reading some of these comments and the way you said you crashed out made me laugh though. Maybe in a few months when you got some good starter and you have more beautiful loaves you’ll think it’s funny too.
I also made mine from scratch but there’s no shame in getting some established from someone else!! You’ve done it once before so you can do it again if you want or just pick up some established from anywhere you like 💓💓💓💓
Rest in Peice to your starter, may I ask, did you name it before it, well, yeah
My mother in law threw mine out last week saying it smelled sour..
Well I’m in the process of starting my very first right now now. No time like the present, live and let live.
I’m so sorry! May another glorious starter find you. If you’re the only baker in your friend group, I’d bet there are options of Facebook marketplace. I’m in Portland Oregon so FB marketplace is basically dahlia tubers and sourdough starters.
you can buy 250 year old starter on etsy
Mine recently died as well 😭😭 hugs
Bummer. Get it back. Dry some out. Put the dried chips in a small glass mason jar. It will stay forever. Then pass it on to your kids.
😢
I’m so sorry this happened to you! If you can’t get any from your neighbor, please feel free to DM me. My starter, Doughrinda, has had several starter “babies;” I’d be happy to dehydrate some and mail it to you. My only stipulation is you would have to name it and then tell me what the name is so I can add it to Dpughrinda’s genealogy chart😂
valid crash out, I’m sorry for your loss
I always keep a bit (like a tablespoon) in the freezer! I started 2019 and after a big break am starting again!
Your starter is living in the air in your house.
It just needs flour and water to eat and it will be usable again soon.
My wife baked mine twice lol, was proofing in the oven with a sign on the door and she preheated it. Just think if a new clever name for the next one!
Not the same thing but: about 30 years ago when Tahini was difficult to find, we got some and stored the (open) container in the fridge. Grandma smelled it, took it for rancid peanut butter and threw it out. That treasure… just gone.
If you have any bread left I’ve seen people talk about soaking some in water and using that to start a new starter as some of the bacteria will be present in the bread. Might be worth a try!
RIP!! I’m so sorry! But your loaves look incredible – would you be able to share the recipe for the one with raisins in? I want some right now! 😆