Starting a Starter

On this page we talk about how sourdough starters work, and what you're doing when you start a sourdough starter. If you're in too much of hurry to read this and want to just make a starter, there are pointers to three tried and true methods of starting starters on the left and bottom of this page.
This is the most hit upon page at our site. A lot of people think if they can just start a good starter, they'll have mastered the art of sourdough. And if you look for sourdough starters at Google, chances are good that you'll wind up here. On this and three associated pages we'll talk about how to start a starter. However, having a good starter won't make you a good sourdough baker any more than having a hot racecar will make you a great racer. Sure, a racer needs a good car to win, and a baker needs a good culture to make good sourdough bread, but you need to know what to do with your tools to get the most out of them. So, I hope you'll look around here and pick up some techniques and maybe some recipes too! I hope you'll also look at the pages that talk about maintaining a starter, using a starter, storing a starter and reviving a starter. Together, those pages in the Sourdough Starter Primer will really help you get going with your exploration with sourdough.