Hello everyone.. I was wondering if anyone could explain just how sourdough starter works?? Do you have to feed it right before you use it or right after(to the main batch) you take the cup you need for your recipe out? Also, If you take a cup out for your recipe then do you add a cup each of flour and water or just half a cup each to equal the one cup you took out? One more question... Has anyone tried the "wild yeast" method? That is where you sit a bowl of water and flour out to capture the yeast that is in the air and then go from there... If so, how did it work out for you? This is all so confusing to someone who has made a total of like 3 baked items in their life.. I love sour dough though... I just got a bread machine and would like to make the bread in it, so I suppose I should ask: does anyone have any secrets to making sour dough bread in a bread machine (with a starter of course)? Is it pretty simple and safe, i.e. the dough won't be coming out the top or anything... the sourdough pretty much acts as the packet of yeast right? Any help would be much appreciated... thanks
-Laura