Store-bought vs homemade starter - a baker at the farmers market changed my take on it

This older guy at the farmers market in Portland told me his sourdough starter was 30 years old and he'd never used store-bought yeast, but I've had 3 failed starters in a row after 2 weeks each. Has anyone else had a stranger's advice on starters actually work out or is it just luck of the draw?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugo_nelson27d ago

Yeah I used to be in @sean_walker45's boat thinking it was all hype but then I tried some homemade starter from a friend and honestly the flavor was way deeper than anything I've gotten from a packet. Changed my mind completely.

anna9832mo ago

Store-bought vs homemade" used to feel like snobbery to me but now I get it.

sean_walker452mo ago

My sister spent four hours making pasta from scratch last weekend. It tasted fine but honestly not that different from the box kind. @anna983 I get why people enjoy the process but acting like store-bought is some kind of failure seems a bit much.