Thursday, June 13, 2013

Sourdough Bread and Pancakes. The bread that won the west!

Hi, it's Patricia PacJac Carroll again to talk about the bread and pancakes that won the west.

Well, okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but many 49er miners and Alaskan gold hunters were fed by this extraordinary tasting bread. AND the pancakes! Love them.

Here you see me in my happy face hat knitted by one of my sweet friends.  My husband calls me 'fuzzy'  lol. Not bald but I do resemble baby bird fuzz.

So I started my Sourdough starter May 30th.

I tried to start a starter on my own earlier but managed to only make smelly cement.

So I bought San Francisco Sourdough Bread Starter.  The real deal.

Here are the ingredients - all purpose flour - white or wheat
water and the starter. Mix it up and now I wait for the little beasties to grow.

So while we wait - a little history.  Sourdough, if you can believe this started way back in 1500 BC in Egypt.  Just doesn't have the same ring as San Francisco Sourdough does it?

It gets it's sour taste because of the lactobacilli wild yeast that forms lactic acid. Different areas apparently make a different taste from the strain of wild yeast.

There are strains from way back in 1849 still actively being used.

                                                                Here's my starter on day one  >

.
 Success! See the bubbles and how the starter has grown?
So I fed it flour and water and let it grow some more for my pancakes the next morning.

I was sure to put a cup of starter away in the fridge. And then made my pancakes.

Yummy  light and fluffy. I enjoyed them.




If you'd like to order the starter $9.99 I think it was.
Here is the link

San Francisco Sourdough Starter

Maybe next I'll try the Sourdough bread.  : )

****
Patricia PacJac Carroll has one book on Amazon -kindle and print.
Link to Amazon  Liberty Belle


19 comments:

  1. LIBERTY BELLE looks really good. Interesting recipe for pancakes. I make great buckwheat/blueberry pancakes. sharon, ca wileygreen1(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. Thanks Sharon,
      I'm having my pancakes this morning. Might add blueberries to them. Yum

      Delete
  2. I adore this cover as well!

    I'd had sourdough bread before but the big treat was eating it at Boudin's on Fisherman's Wharf as a 'bread bowl' for chowder. I imagine the starter system works like the ones I used to do with some dough I'd get from a friend and have to 'feed' often and then use for break always leaving a bit to keep the process going.

    You look great to me!

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  3. How sweet of your friend to knit you a hat! Love the picture. :) I absolutely love sourdough bread of any kind. Never tried to start my own, though. I'm too chicken! I might just have to get that starter you used, sounds like you can't go wrong. Thanks for the fun post!
    Susan P

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  4. My mom used to have sourdough starter, and she made all kinds of wonderful things with it - biscuits, pancakes, bread......I never could keep sourdough alive, even if someone gave me starter! It's too much like taking care of plants, having to feed it daily, and I've pretty much killed any plant I've ever had! :/ Good thing I have maternal instincts, or my kids might be in trouble! lol

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    Replies
    1. My track record with plants isn't too good either.
      So far I am keeping my little starter alive.
      Love those pancakes.

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  5. Love the hat, the pancakes, and you!

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  6. I used to make sourdough bread when we lived in California. The starter only cost a couple of bucks there...then. Of course, one can get a bit of starter from a friend. (hint, hint) Wish I'd thought of making you a cap. That's a good idea for our Prayer Shawl Ministry to consider. Meanwhile, my husband and I pray for your strength and good health and full recovery.

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    1. Thanks Lee for the prayers.
      And if you want a starter of sourdough - just let me know.

      Delete
  7. I haven't ever tried making sourdough, but I certainly enjoy eating it. Perhaps I shall have to get some starter and try making it myself!

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    1. HI Beti,
      It was really easy to start with the sourdough yeast starter. I didn't have any problems.

      Delete
  8. Wow, I think I just gained 5 lbs reading your post and another 10 checking out the recipes on the website! (And now I'm almost contemplating running to IHOP to cure my crazy craving...at 11:10 pm)!! I love the hat - yellow brings out the Sonshine in your eyes! :-)

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    1. LOL
      Thanks Kam hope you enjoyed the pancakes last night. : )

      Delete
  9. Hubby and I love to eat sourdough bread but have not tried making it. I don't know if I would have the patience to keep at it everyday...aren't we lucky to have bakeries all around...
    cute Hat, thanks for sharing your love of this healthy bread.

    Paula O(kyflo130@yahoo.com)

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    1. Thanks Paula,
      Actually it's only the first few days you have to keep at it. Then it goes in the fridge until you want to make something. For me it's worth the trouble to eat those pancakes : )

      Delete
  10. Hi Patricia, thanks for this delightful post. I kept fresh sourdough starter and baked with it for years until we recently moved to Colorado. I let it rest and haven't revived it yet. Your article inspired me to feed it again and get back to making breakfast blitzes.

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