create a sourdough starter

Brothers and sisters we are here to commemorate the bravery of my sourdough. It went through bad times, but it always stood fierce and bubbly. I neglected it for weeks, and it just welcomed me back when I fed him again, without holding grudges. It raised bread, pizza, brioche, croissants—never a complain, never a hesitation. When something went wrong, it was always my fault, not its.

But, our brave little soldier couldn’t survive the treacherous hand that dropped it from the fridge. I wasn’t there to witness its sudden and unforeseen passing, but I will always keep its ivory healthy appearance in my heart.

PS I started another one a couple of hours ago, using a different recipe. I ground the wheat at home. Let’s see what happens.

... but the starter is really amazing!

What had to be a tiny tamagochi is now a huge pulsing blob.
Ferments are so strong it keeps on growing even in the fridge, and it smells really beautiful, with the right balance of acidity.
Tomorrow it has to pass the baking exam, but hopes are dangerously high.

Well, err… I had to kill it.
I mean, usually golems are obedient, but this one wasn’t.
It smelled so bad it could be mistaken for a WMD.
I felt like doctor Frankenstein.

So I’ve made another one following the Italian recipe (guess what: the evil one was born following an American one) :P
Flour is one of the best durum wheat from Sicily.
Water was low-mineral.
This one didn’t even bother getting acid.
(OK, maybe durum wheat isn’t the best choice, but it’s so GOOD if I get a starter from that I’m sure it would be amazing!)

My first starter is one day old. It’s a live thing. Smells like hell. Doesn’t cry. I have to feed it every few hours. I fed it with a bit of honey too. But it doesn’t look exactly like it should. So I guess I will have to sublimate soon my Herod’s instinct too.

Edit: I’d like to stress the fact that I’m trying to make one from scratch, that is: no leavening agent at all.