Does anyone else miss the old sourdough starter swap days?

I remember a decade ago at the Portland farmers market you could trade starter with anyone. Everyone had their own 50 year old batch from their grandma. Now it's all dried packets from Amazon or fancy Etsy shops. Feels like we lost the whole neighborly thing. Anybody still have luck finding real heirloom starters locally?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor95712h agoMost Upvoted

I still remember the starter I got from a lady at the PSU farmers market who swore her batch had been alive since the 1800s. Turned out it was just regular flour and water she'd started the week before and my first loaf came out like a hockey puck with a weird yeasty smell. So yeah, dried packets are boring but at least you know you're not getting someone's week old science experiment with a lie attached.

abby_morgan1813h ago

Actually dried packets aren't really the same as a living starter you feed and keep going over years. A dehydrated starter can lose some of the local yeast and bacteria that give sourdough its unique taste. You'd be better off finding a bakery in your area and asking if they'll share a bit of their mother dough most places are happy to help out.

max_cooper2114h ago

Wait, aren't dried packets way more reliable though? Tbh I've had friends get bum starter from strangers that just made dense bricks.