Meet Apple our new addition

Hello! My name is Apple. I am a sour dough starter. I was born on February 1, 2010. I was named 19 days later by Chef Kai because while making pizza dough he said that I smelled like freshly cut red apples. I consist of only three ingredients, all purpose flour, buttermilk, and one red grape that was grown in South Africa bought from Whole Foods.

I am well loved by everyone in the family. I get lunch at 1:30 p.m. every day. My lunch used to be 1/2 cup of all purpose flour and 1/2 cup of warm water ( I like my water to  be between 100-110 degrees F), but now I get 1/2 of all purpose flour with 1/4 cup of warm water. Julie cut back my water because she thought that I should transform from being a poolish to being a biga.

I was grown as an experiment for Julie. She was craving sourdough waffles, so here I am. I have been used for regular, mixed berries with flax, banana butterscotch and coconut, and cocoa waffles. Julie says that the waffles are more flavorful with every batch. Recently, I was used for pizza dough, which made excellent thin crusts and soon I will help make some sour dough bread.

If you are interested in having your own "Apple" at home this is what you need: a glass bowl or jar, a thermometer, measuring cup, flour, 1 red grape, buttermilk and water. To begin warm up a cup of buttermilk to 110 degrees F and pour it into your glass container. Add 1 cup of all purpose flour and mix well. Add 1 grape that still has the white coating on it (that is the wild yeast). Cover the container and let it hang out in the kitchen. For the first three days all you have to do is stir it once a day. On the second or third day remove the grape. If any mold froms, just scoop it out. After the third day, you are ready to feed the starter. To feed, all you need to do is add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of warm water (100-110 degrees F) and stir. That's it. Feed it once a day at the same time and in about two weeks you well have a starter that can be used for your baking needs.

* Our Apple sits in a room that is 70 degrees, which Apple likes, but if your kitchen is warmer you can put your starter in the refrigerator an hour after you feed it so that it has a chance to eat (activate). If your starter lives in the refrigerator, take it out and let it come to room temperature before the next feeding or before using in a recipe. (It really is like caring for another living being...kinda high maintenance in the begining, but easy once you get on a schedule).