Sandra Crutcher

2 c all-purpose flour;
1 teas. salt;
3 T sugar;
1 T dry yeast;
2 c lukewarm water

With a wooden spoon stir dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and gradually add lukewarm water. Stir until mixture resembles a smooth paste. Cover with towel or cheesecloth and set in a warm place (85 degrees) to sour. Stir mixture several times a day. In 2 or 3 days sourdough oill be ready. Store in a heavy plastic container, with a hole punched in lid to allow gases to escape. To make a batter for a sourdough recipe, take out 1 cup sourdough starter and combine with 1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup lukewarm water. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Don't worry about lumpw in mixture, fermentation will dissolve them. Cover with towel or plastic; set in warm spot several hours overnight. Before adding additional ingred. to recipe, return at least 1/2 cup of mixture to sourdough container stored in refrigerater to replenish starter. If starter is not replenished in this manner at least once a week add 1/2 cup of each: lukewarm water and all-purpose flour to container of sourdough. Mix together; leave out of refrigerator overnight,covered with a towel or plastic wrap. Next morning stir down mixture, cover with a lid and return to refrigerator until needed. Occasionally, pour all of sourdough starter out into a mixing bowl. Wash container to remove flour build-up. To replenish, add equal portions of flower and water, cover, let stand in warm spot overnight. If starter does not seem as bubbly after continued use, sprinkle with small anount of dry yeast and mix well. This is also recomminded if thowed frozen starter doesn't resume to former bubbly appearance. If clear liquid forms on top of mixture, simply stir down and continue to use as needed.

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