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It is sometimes confusing, with the different terms that are used. Levain, Poolish, Biga, Pate Fermentee are just different preferments. So when Gerard renews his Levain, I'm not sure what he means by that. When I want a preferment for my next batch of sourdough bread, I start a new preferment, whether a levain, poolish, biga, etc. I've experimented with all of them over the years. The one I used more often was a "Biga". Both a yeast version and a sourdough version. The sourdough version was made using 60 to 80g of sourdough starter and added to 250g of flour and 250g of water. Once it had more than doubled it was added to the next batch of dough. These little scrapings of the jar preferments, I just refer to as mini bigas. I have still been maintaining my mother, feeding it every couple of weeks. I think that it has just become a habit that I've been feeding for 6 years and I don't want it to die. I usually leave a dough in the fridge for a longer cold fermentation from 24 hours to 4 days. But I have left them as long as 8 and 9 days and the only difference I find is that the sourdough flavour is a little stronger. This works for my son who loves a more sour taste. I like a milder sourdough flavour.

No, totally agreed. I don't mean added yeast, I mean that starter is always a dynamic system, an ecology that develops naturally over time, some blend of wild yeasts and bacterias (which we can manipulate via changes in ambient conditions). There will always be some drift because it's not static, just wondering if the method would tend to naturally move the overall balance one way or the other. I maintain three basic starters - a liquid rye, which is renewed with "ASG," Anstellgut, cold starter left in the fridge maybe 3-4 days; water at 40C; and Central Milling's "Medium Rye," which is equivalent to the German T 1150 rye at 1.15% ash. I find that gives a good, steady development when refreshing as whole grain rye can really cause the starter to scream. Occasionally I will do whole rye, to goose the starter if it's not been refreshed for too long. I also maintain a Lievito Madre (AP & Water), and a Hefewasser (water, some existing Hefewasser, and Munich liquid malt extract, used in brewing). Point of interest, the late great French baker Gerard Rubaud started a new mother every month or so, for this reason - he watched performance constantly and felt his starter drifted too much for him over a matter of weeks, so he always regularly started with a new starter about monthly. After learning that I stopped worrying if I had to let go of an old culture and start another. http://www.farine-mc.com/2009/11/meet-baker-gerard-rubaud.html

A sourdough starter should never have yeast added. When I started my "mother' back in 2019 it was started with organic rye and bottled water and when it was ready to maintain, I fed with organic rye and bottled water. Nothing else. Pure sourdough.

Very cool, thanks Ann. The only thing I'd be curious about is whether the scrapings at the bottom have a different population mix of yeasts v. bacterias, and if over time that would tend to move the population ecology to favor one or the other over time. Don't know why it would, but it would be interesting to learn more about this. Very nice to avoid waste, like you say, and your starters look robust and healthy!

For you, @chromedome 🙄 Oops, this belongs in non-food funnies.

I mentioned a few months ago that I was using a new method I found for maintaining a sourdough starter, using just the scrapings in the bottom of the jar. I've been using this method now consistently since February. The method is from Culinary Explorations. You start with about 22g of your sourdough starter and feed it with 55g of water and 55g of flour. Once it has more than doubled it is ready to go into your next batch of dough. You just need to leave a little of the starter in the bottom of the jar and feed the scrapings with the 55g of water and 55g of starter. After the first time, I never bothered measuring the scrapings. You just need to leave less than a tablespoon in the jar to feed. If you don't plan on baking anytime soon, just put the jar of scrapings in the fridge and pull out and feed with the 55/55 ratio 8 to 10 hours before you want to make your next batch of dough. So if you want to make your bread dough in the morning feed it at night and it is ready to go. Or feed it in the morning and make your dough later in the day. I found that since I am baking every two or three days, I just feed the scapings immediately and after they have more than doubled, I put the jar in the fridge until I want to bake. This works for me. Last night I made three doughs using three of the mini bigas. All three doughs went into the fridge for a cold fermentation. That left me three jars with scrapings to feed. I fed each jar and left them on the counter overnight. I just took pictures of them and they are now going into the fridge for a couple of days. If you look closely at the lids, you can see how they are expanding so you know that these little starters are active and strong. Made a nice popping sound when I realized the lid. Besides being really easy, what I really like about this method is that there is no waste at all.

I agree. That loaf is a beauty.

鲜虾鱿鱼炒面 (xiān xiā yóu yú chǎo miàn), shrimp and squid fried noodles.

I fixed this last night for dinner and it was quick and delicious. I used a couple pork loin chops. I have a feeling I'm going to be making this often. Thank you very much for the recipe.

I also think it's great that you reused those containers. I don't think it's tacky at all! I promise you the people who got the store bought cornbread loved their meals as much as those who didn't!

@patti, I too am amazed at your energy and accomplishments. And the food does look good! As for reusing the plastic food containers: I think it's a great idea. Too many of those things are used once and then tossed. It's terribly wasteful. Reusing them makes good sense from an economic and environmental standpoint.

These are getting discussed on my social media feeds this morning: I've seen them described as "meta" Oreos, "recursive" Oreos, and "cannibal" Oreos, etc, but my favorite so far is "the Oreobouros."

Phoodle #1285 5/6 ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩 ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩 ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 https://phoodle.net

Not to say that it doesn't exist but I can't imagine a crisp biscuit / cookie that you could cleanly slice with a guitar cutter. A water jet would probably do the job perfectly. Don't know if they sell small scale water jets for hobbyists / small business. Update, just did a search and a desktop waterjet does exist. https://wazer.com/waterjets/desktop/ And here are a few that are built for the food industry. https://www.waterjetcorp.com/en/products/gourmet/

Being supportive is as valuable as a good idea. Thank you!

@patti, you are amazing! It’s very heartwarming to see everyone jump in with ideas. Well, except me, I have no ideas🤷‍♀️ this is just so nice to follow.

It looks like you're about to feed it to that printer in the background TAKE THAT HEWLETT PACKARD

Funny, I dislike Meyer lemons. My neighbour would give them to me and they would sit on the counter until it was time to put them in the green waste I left a lime tree at the old property. Put it in a huge mound of dirt after taking it out of a wine barrel. Right now it has no leaves so it might not survive. I have killed off many fruit trees in that spot. Maybe it is bad feng sui

Miso salmon, braised chard, squash

no, I cant tell you the exact ' breed ' of the orange trees they were the same , and what one might plant in the bay area , 1960 . and yes , two harvests each.

Thank You Jim I definitely don't want to risk my wires. I was just wondering if anyone has ever used their guitar to cut a thin baked cookie. If not I can cut by hand

You are very kind. And despite the complaints I made in today’s post about this week’s meal, I am having fun (when I’m not this tired). 🙂 I get a lot out of it, for many different reasons. Thank you for appreciating this project.

I’m in the recliner, drinking coffee and resting my feet. In the words of an extended family member, “Long time I didn’t be so tard (tired).” Despite a number of mistakes made because I can’t count, 22 bagged meals were delivered to the community fridge. You can clearly see there are 22 containers of soup/stew. I saw 24. I have no excuses. (The containers are recycled chopped veg containers. Tacky? Maybe, but it saved a little money, and why have I been saving them if not to use them?) I cut the sheet pan cornbread incorrectly and didn’t notice till almost all of it was packaged for delivery that I was six pieces short. WTH? My husband went to Albertsons (nearest store) and bought some of their store made cornbread, which lists sugar as the first ingredient. It is cake. Ugh. Sorry to the six who got a dessert instead of something good to have with their soup. Again, there is no excuse. How could I not count correctly? My husband doesn’t always like the CFM because he isn’t a fan of casseroles, pasta salads, and a whole lot of other things, but he was really interested in this soup, and I had assured him there would be some for his supper. Ahem, well, when I make a batch for him this weekend, he’ll have some for supper. The 17 quart roaster full (spinach wasn’t in the recipe, nor was Italian sausage, but I included both): And a six quart pot, not as far along in the cooking. Most bags got three oranges, although only two in this bag. They were very small. Also, a spoon was added after the pic. Delivery didn’t happen till almost 2:00 pm. But it is done! I had intended a longer post, but this is all for now! Thanks for reading.

@patti, nah. All I see being revealed is your extraordinary cooking triumphs. This project is such a blessing, and it's also an inspiration. Not just the service aspect, but also the fact that the food looks so good; to echo @Maison Rustique, there's another layer of feeling cared for when the item looks all nice, like restaurant food! Also? You sound like you are having a lot of fun, I'm enjoying everything about this thread.

I flew to AZ the middle of October for a quasi medical emergency. Things have stabilized, I'm on a new medication, and thankfully avoided hospitalization. Had oh-so many tests and doctor visits, from Radiology to Urology to Infectious Diseases. Some days I had 4 appointments within 5 hours!! I say this in a shameless attempt at sympathy towards another rather mediocre meal based on a powdered envelope and leftover rotisserie chicken 😎 I did manage to make the riata myself 🙃 The good news is I am able to fly back to Mexico this weekend if my flights come to fruition. In fairness to the McCormick Company, the flavor was better than expected.