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Murphyallen
5 Posts
Mary Ellen
CT
USA
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 Posted - Aug 06 2020 : 11:08:49 AM
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| I've been doing the counter mother since June 16th. Today is August 6th. For the past two weeks I've done the refridgerator test on Bake day and it still doesn't change at all between the two glasses. I'm using the flour from MaryJane's farm, have all the equipment and faithfully feeding the mother 2x a day. Even have my watch alarm set to remind me. It's been nearly two months. I have the mother on the counter in the kitchen, around a corner, and there is no air conditioning in the kitchen - just air moving by a fan two rooms away. Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. The bread get a little better each week, but doesn't look like the picture. Still pretty dense (though a little less each week). I'm using distilled water and have the book at hand for reference. Any suggestions and help appreciated. |
Murphyallen
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." |
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Ashley
656 Posts
Ashley
MOSCOW
Idaho
USA
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Posted - Aug 06 2020 : 8:08:43 PM
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Hi Mary Ellen,
The fact that you’re seeing more loft each week is a great sign. Sometimes mothers just take a little longer to develop. You can encourage more yeast formation by stirring your mother a little longer at each feeding. How is the flavor of your breads?
Also, don’t sweat your Counter Mother failing the Refrigerator Mother test. If your mother is giving breads a reliable loft in a consistent amount of time, she’s ready for the refrigerator. At the bottom of this message, I’ve shared a link with information about what to expect while cultivating your mother. Although you’re past week 4, perhaps there will be some helpful information. The Refrigerator Mother test is also touched on.
http://www.maryjanesfarm.org/download/wild-bread/admonitions/admonition1.pdf |
Ashley Ogle |
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Murphyallen
5 Posts
Mary Ellen
CT
USA
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Posted - Aug 07 2020 : 04:29:00 AM
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| Thanks, Ashley, for your help and encouragement. I haven't been stirring much - just enough to wet the new flour and mix in the water. I can try stirring more. I tried making the buttermilk biscuits on page 53. No rising at all, outsides very hard, difficult to cut, inside good, but super dense and looks wet, but not. Took forever to bake. 40 minutes at least. I will check out the link - thanks so much. I was ready to toss the Mother and buy packaged yeast. Glad this stopped me. I'll keep trying. |
Murphyallen
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." |
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Murphyallen
5 Posts
Mary Ellen
CT
USA
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Posted - Aug 07 2020 : 04:36:41 AM
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| Also - I don't know if I get a good loft - my bread looks nothing like the picture on page 39. Mine is more yellow, much, much more dense, not lofty and light looking like the picture. The flavor is quite a bit less sour than the first loaf back in bake day #1, but I still need to eat it toasted with butter and a touch of honey to counter the sour taste. But it's nearly there taste-wise. The bread does take hours as stated. I had to find a warm place to let it rise - the pantry on my back porch seems the best place. I've also done the trick with the oven - turn it on - heat it to 175, then cool to lower temp and let rise in there. Any links or tips very welcome. Thanks. |
Murphyallen
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." |
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Ashley
656 Posts
Ashley
MOSCOW
Idaho
USA
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Posted - Aug 07 2020 : 08:29:10 AM
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The overly sour flavor of your breads will also be helped by a little extra stirring. Lacto-bacteria (responsible for the sour flavor) are much less picky about their environment than wild yeast, needing little encouragement to grow and multiply. As a result, these critters are really good at setting up camp before wild yeasts. While want these lactic-acid producing bacteria in wild-yeast bread, we also don't want them hogging the food supply and hindering the growth of wild yeasts. The trick is striking the right balance between those lactic-acid producing bacteria and wild yeast. The best ways to ensure this is to make sure your room temperature is warm (sounds like you have a handle on this), keep chemical/harsh smells aways from your mother, and aerate it. It seems silly how far a little extra stirring will take your mother, but she really does need to move. Coincidentally, creating a wild-yeast mother is a form of aerobic fermentation, meaning oxygen is used in the process, so to help our mothers along, we need to make sure they're getting adequate exercise.
I know this topic has been touched on throughout the chatroom. This morning, I found this thread with a discussion I think might be helpful: http://wildbread.net/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=156
I think once you're able to coax more wild yeasts into your mother, the texture and flavor of your breads will improve. The Batter Breads do have a high moisture content, but the texture shouldn't be gummy. I hope this is helpful! |
Ashley Ogle |
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Murphyallen
5 Posts
Mary Ellen
CT
USA
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Posted - Aug 08 2020 : 06:46:07 AM
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| Thanks so much for all your help. I began stirring much more and with a bit of oomph. I think somehow I thought too much stirring would harm, not help, the mother. It continues to bubble nicely, but is much smoother. Will continue to check out the topics you suggest and will let you know how I get on :-) |
Murphyallen
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." |
Edited by - Murphyallen on Aug 08 2020 06:47:03 AM |
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Mother never ready for Refridgerator
