Before yeast was readily available, the creation of a starter was the only way bread could be made. Starters are often shared with friends, hence the name of this first sweet bread. This friendship bread starter takes about 2 weeks to create, but will then last a lifetime!
Yields 9 cups starter
Ingredients:
- 3 cups milk
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Source: ,The Modern-Day Pioneer: Simple Living in the 21st Century:...
Day 1:
Combine 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour in a ceramic or glass bowl. Stir to combine, cover loosely with a damp cheesecloth or towel, and set aside at room temperature. Stir once a day for the next 4 days.
Day 5:
Add 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour. Stir well, cover again, and set aside at room temperature for another 5 days, stirring once a day, as before.
Day 10:
Again, add 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour. Mix thoroughly. Bread starter is now ready to use. To keep your starter alive, replace the quantity used for breadmaking with an equal amount of milk, flour, and sugar. Stir it every day, and feed it every 5 days by removing some starter and replacing it with an equal amount of milk, sugar, and flour (for every 1 cup used, replace with 1⁄3 cup milk, 1⁄3 cup sugar, and 1⁄3 cup flour). If you do not wish to feed it, but want to keep it, refrigerate it indefinitely, taking it out and repeating the process for 10 days before using it again.
Adapted from Charlotte Denholtz's book, "The Modern-Day Pioneer: Simple Living in the 21st Century," published by F+W/Adams Media. Image via Pauline Mak.
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