Hey Reader,

Thanks so much to everyone who joined the Instagram live last night. I hope it was helpful! You can catch the video here if you missed it.

As promised, here’s a roundup of all the links and info we covered.

Making a Starter

• ​Step-by-step recipe & instructions​
• You can check out my Instagram highlights here and here where I walk through the process and answer FAQs from previous times I've made a starter. Note in the past I used to add 25 grams of water the first day and 20 grams of flour so if you see it you can just ignore it. Stick to how it is written in the recipe with 20 grams of each.
• Cold kitchen? Try these tips for keeping your starter warm​

My #1 tip: keep going!

• A starter isn’t “dead” unless you see mold (pink streaks, fuzz, or pink liquid).
• Strange smells are normal in the beginning.
• It’s common for your starter to rise the first day or two, then stall. That’s to be expected, don't panic!
• At the beginning throw away your discard, we don't want to save that until your starter is doubling in size. Trust me, with how it smells you won't want to save it. P.S. discard should go in the trash can not down the sink.
• While you can make a starter with just all-purpose or bread flour adding in a whole grain (whole wheat or rye) will boost fermentation and usually gets your starter going faster.
• Keep your starter at 77–85°F. Warmth is essential at the beginning.

➡️ Want a shortcut? You can buy a dehydrated starter (use code CountryRoadsSourdough for 10% off) or get one free if you join my online class and live in the US.

Caring for a Starter

• Read my full guide to caring for your starter​
• Learn about feeding ratios with this video
• Not sure when your starter is at peak? Check out this video.
• Confused about discard? Here’s a post explaining what it is and why you should discard.
• If you see hooch (dark liquid) or a kahm yeast (white powder substance) on top, it's not dead! It just means your starter is hungry.

Quick Links

• ​Starter life cycle video​
• ​How to make a starter​
• ​Tips to keep your starter warm​
• ​Starter care guide​
• ​When your starter is at peak video ​
• ​What is sourdough discard?​

🛒 Products from the Live

• ​My favorite sourdough jar & lid (use code CountryRoadsSourdough for 10% off)
• ​Silicone lids (similar to my Ikea ones)
• ​Dough mat – (use code country10 for 10% off) keeps starter and dough warm
• ​Proofing box – more of an investment, but I use mine daily for consistent results and temperatures
• ​Kitchen scale – highly recommend having a scale if you don't have one

See you next week for Week 2: Making an artisan loaf

P.S. If you’d like all this info in video lessons, my online course walks you through everything step-by-step and includes an e-book.