Sourdough Bread Starter: Day 1

Hello!

Today I started my very own Sourdough Starter! If you don't know what a starter is, it's a mixture you keep in your refrigerator for when you are making Sourdough bread. Whenever you take any out to use, you replenish it. If you go a week without using it, you "refresh" it with flour and water. The thought of that has always terrified the germ-o-phobe inside of me. However, I finally sucked it up and decided the Sourdough Bread Bowls were worth it. Take that Panera!

I got my starter recipe from theKitchn. I chose to throw in a pinch of store bought yeast, just to add a little insurance.

It's been about 5 hours since I mixed everything up. Right now, it looks kind of like think pancake mix with little bubbles forming.

All I did was:

1. Find a seal able container that will hold 3-4 quarts.
2. Put a 1/2 cup of filtered water in the container.
3. Add a 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour.
4. Whisk until the flour is completely saturated with water.
5. Add a "pinch" of yeast.
6. Mix thoroughly again.
7. Seal the container up tight.

Some of the tips I've found across the internet are:
*Don't keep your starter in a metal bowl. Metal bowls will kill the yeast because they absorb the heat from the mixture.
*Keep your starter refreshed at least once a week. Think of it as a house plant that you must water or it will die.
*If someone wants to make their own starter, you can give them a cup of yours. Just make sure you replenish however much you give them.

Look for tomorrow's update on my starter!

Comment if you have any advice or are making your own starter!

Happy baking!