Sourdough!

Susannah Dowds, as part of her research for her dissertation, Alaska Sourdough: Bread Beards and Yeast, is gathering sourdough starters from across the state. If you have a starter and a story, bring both to the 2013 Museums Alaska and Alaska Historical Society Conference and become part of the narrative!

 

Photo credit: Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center

Sourdough starter is easily transported when dehydrated; here are instructions on how to dry your yeast:

1. Feed your starter a few hours beforehand, so that it’s at its peak ripeness.

2. Drop about two tablespoons of the starter onto a sheet of parchment paper or a clean and use a flexible spatula to spread it as thinly as you can all over the sheet.

3. Place the sheet on a cooling rack and set aside until dry. (This could take anywhere from a few hours to a day.)

4. Break the dehydrated starter into pieces, place in a freezer bag and put in a baggie.

If you have any questions, please contact Susanna at stdowds@alaska.edu. Susanna is currently completing a Master’s Degree in Northern Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.