One of the bounties though is peach leaves. I make peach leaf yeast at least once a year. Typically I do it end of season in October. This year may do a batch or two. The real key is keeping it fed once started.
I first came across the recipe in Sourdough Breads and Coffee Cakes by Ada Lou Roberts. This book is a treasure trove of sourdough starters and recipes. It is out of print (I believe) and I got my first copy at a yard sale. I subsequently lost it and Ebay'd the second copy.
The starter is one of my favorites for two reasons. Its is semi Mad-scientist to make, and you can preserve it for the future relatively easily. It can be incorporated into sterilized corn meal and dried into cakes which will freeze for up to a year. Its a "cheat" to get a nice starter going relatively easily.
There is little or no information on the internet WHY use the peach leaf tea, as well as baked potatoes and cornmeal. Since the heat involved in the preparation of the starter will kill existing yeasts. I am assuming it is selection that is at work? Maybe peach leaf tea contains some compound that will limit specific types of wild yeast from flourishing and give a boost to others.
- 1 Qt fresh peach leaves, not packed
- 3 medium sized baked potatos
- 1/2 C. cornmeal
- 3 C. water
- 2 tsp. salt
- 3 Tbsp. Sugar
- Bring the three cups of water to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat and add the leaves. Steep the leaves for 15 minutes. Drain the liquid out and keep. Add enough water to make three full cups.
- Use 1 cup of the liquid over medium heat. Add 1/2 C Cornmeal. Stir briskly until it thickens.
- Peel the hot baked potatos. Mash them well in a large bowl (no metal please)
- Add the thickened cornmeal, stirring well.
- Continue to mix as you incorporate the other two cups of liquid.
- Cover with cheese cloth. Allow to set at room temp until light and foamy, stirring every few hours as you think of it. Could be 24- 48 hours. If it molds or gets funky colors in it chuck it.
- Sterilize 2 Qts. of cornmeal in the oven for about 1-2 hours at low temp (175 - 200°F) the key is not to brown the cornmeal. Allow to cool in the oven.
- When cool incorporate as much of this cornmeal into your fermenting mixture as possible. Your resulting mixture should be semi-crumbly but hold together when squeezed.
- press into clean cookie trays as thick as the tray itself.
- Use a sknife to mark out 1" squares. Just make the cut lines do not remove. Allow the mixture to dry enough to hold together.
- Remove the squares to paper towels or a dehydrator to dry completely.
- Place in ziplock bags and freeze.
Crumble a cake of the yeast into a small bowl (no metal please). Add 1/2 C. warm water (no more than 110°F) 1/2 tsp. ginger (fresh if ya got it other wise ground is fine)and 1 tsp. sugar. Cover with cheese cloth and allow to stand in a warm spot (no drafts) until a white film covers the top of the water (24 hours in warm weather a little longer in coldweather.
Add 1/2 Cup water, 1/2 C flour and 1 tsp. sugar cover and let stand until foamy. Feed again with 1/2 C water, 1 C. flour and 1 tsp. sugar. Allow to stand until foamy, put in glas jar and store in fridge with loose lid when layer of clear liquid is on top it is RIPE enough to use.
Ripening the starter
Ripening is an interesting topic. Basically we are waiting on the yeast to be almost pickled by the alcohol they are producing. This allows some of the other bacteria that p[rocide flavor to a sourdough to flourish. Acetobacter LOVES the alcohol, called hooch formed by the yeast and will convert it to vinegar like compounds. This is what "sours" sourdoughs.
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| The Finished brew before the yeast take over!! |
