Do you need a sourdough starter recipe? You can beg, borrow, or steal some from a friend, or you can make your own. Making sour dough starter is simple, but you'll need to be patient as it takes time to develop. Read on to learn how to make sourdough starter you can keep going for years.

Sourdough starter, sometimes called sour dough starter, is one of the oldest methods of leavening bread. Sourdough starters were commonly used before commercial yeast was available. Sourdough starters consist of "wild" yeast that live in a batter of flour and water. Because the yeasts available in the air vary by location you will never be able to exactly duplicate the taste of a sourdough bread made with a San Francisco starter with one made in Boston.

Sourdough starters need to be replenished with fresh flour and water on a regular basis. Some people call this "feeding the starter", and it's usually done when starter is removed for use in a recipe. To make starter from an existing batch:

1. Using a whisk, blend the existing starter until smooth. Starters that have been sitting for a while tend to separate, which is normal.
2. Remove one cup of the mature starter, and set aside.
3. Add one cup of flour and water to the remaining starter, and mix well.
4. Add one cup of flour and water to the cup you removed, and blend.
5. Both bowls of starter should sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours to allow the yeast to multiply.
6. Refrigerate in a covered jar until needed.

If you don't have a friend willing to share, you can make your own sourdough starter in a few days, starting with active dry yeast.

1. Combine in a bowl:
   • 2 cups warm water
   • 1 tablespoon sugar
   • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
   • 2 cups flour
2. Cover the bowl with cheesecloth. (You want wild yeast from the air to be able to get in, but you also want to keep insects out.)
3. Stir once a day.
4. The starter is ready to use when it has stopped bubbling, has developed a slightly sour aroma, and has thickened to the consistency of pancake batter.
5. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.
6. When you use some starter, replace the amount you removed with flour and water. (For each cup you remove, add 1 cup flour and 1 cup water and allow it to suit at room temperature for 12-24 hours).

If you want to try to capture pure wild yeast, you can start without any commercial starter. This method is dependent on how much yeast is circulating in the air at any given time. The summer and fall are good times to try this method.

1. Combine in a bowl
   • 2 cups warm water
   • 1 tablespoon sugar
   • 2 cups flour
2. Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and place in a warm area in your kitchen.
3. Stir the mixture once a day.
4. It will begin to bubble if you have captured any yeast. It should be ready 3 or 4 days after you first notice bubbles.
5. If there is no bubbling after 3 days, there isn't enough natural yeast in your kitchen for this method to work.

1. Substitute honey for the sugar.
2. Use buttermilk instead of some of the water for a richer flavored starter.
3. Replace part of the white flour with whole wheat flour