The Day My Starter Died

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Recently my sourdough starter passed away. Through neglect and circumstance it grew beyond a sourdough starter in to a kaleidoscopic collection of seemingly extra-terrestrial life forms. Here is an ode to the sourdough starter to the tune of that MClean classic American Pie:

 

A Long, long time ago
I can still remember that growing starter making me smile
And I knew that it had a chance
To make a sourdough bread romance
That I would be ecstatic for a while

The first loaf we had for dinner
It sure was a sourdough winner
Cut thick and by the slice
Just one would not suffice

But one day I smelt and nearly cried
When that starter burnt my nose inside
No more sourdough for us, I sighed
The day my starter died

(Chorus)
So bye bye to my starter from I
I loved you then I left you to go mouldy and die
And now all we eat is shop bought wholemeal and rye
Singin’, why’d I let my old starter die?
Why’d I let me old starter die

(Verse)
Did you make a starter with love?
Did you look after it with kid gloves?
Like the experts told you so
Do you believe in sourdough rolls?
Great with jam or just butter you know
You can eat it quick or eat it real slow

Well I eat it with cheese and double smoked ham
Because that’s the funky guy that I am
You know I couldn’t lose
Man, that starter you can re-use

But I neglected the starter, oh what a schmuck
And that starter turned in to a heap of muck
And I knew I was out of luck
The day my starter died

(Chorus)
So bye bye to my starter from I
I loved you then I left you to go mouldy and die
And now all we eat is shop bought wholemeal and rye
Singin’, “Why’d I let my old starter die”
“Why’d I let me old starter die”

But as one must, I have moved on. And the marvellous thing about the starter is that in just seven days a new one is born (see here for how to).

 

 

And so this week I welcomed a new addition to the family; an all new, living and sour sourdough starter. Today it was christened and in to existence came its first offspring; a white sourdough loaf. Recipe coming soon.