These are the instructions to make your own sourdough starter, once this you can make any sourdough bread recipe.
Years ago an employer gave me a cup of this starter and I made sourdough bread many times; but I let the starter die and haven't been able to make sourdough bread since because I didn't know how to begin the starter. I have searched everywhere and experiemented and failed; UNTIL I FOUND BECKY'S RECIPE. THIS IS IT, THIS IS IT YESSSSS!!!! Your bread is only as good as the starter and let me tell you that this ladies recipe is the one and only!!! Don't try it any other way!! There is a few things that I do differently, after putting together initial starter (like she explains in her recipe) and it has set on the counter for five days when I feed it on the fifth day I feed it: (1 cup of warm water, 3 heaping tablespoons of potato flakes and 3/4 cup of sugar). I will then continue to feed it every 3 to 5 days; Disposing of or making bread with one cup of starter 12 hours after every feeding. Use her sourdough starter and sourdough bread recipe for ultimate sourdough bread. Thank you sooooo much Becky!!! - 19 Apr 2004 (Review from Allrecipes USA and Canada)
If you are looking for authentic sourdough bread, this starter is not for you! Sourdough is made from natural yeast, not store bought yeast. There are many fine books on Sourdoungh baking that explain how to make your own starter without using store bought yeast. Some companies will even sell you their starter for $5 to $15. I have used the instructions for building a natural starter from Nancy Siverton's "Breads from the La Brea Bakery" with very good success! - 29 Jan 2002 (Review from Allrecipes USA and Canada)
I JUST GOT STARTED, PUT ALL INGREDIENTS IN THE BOWL AND STIRRED, THEN COVERED, 10 MINUTES LATER I HEARD A LOUD NOISE, AND THE LID WAS LAYING ACROSS THE ROOM. SO, IVE LEARNED SO FAR THAT YOU DONT USE A TIGHT SEALING TUPPERWARE BOWL AND LID. - 13 Sep 2004 (Review from Allrecipes USA and Canada)