Sourdough is simply home-cultured yeast, a form of fermented dough used as leavening in bread making, and has been a part of the cooking art for several thousand years.  Even in back-country cabins today, a sourdough starter is an important part of the homesteader's outfit – something to cherish and guard.  The starter is the basis of almost every meal.
        Don Holm (outdoor writer and wilderness cooking expert) states, "From it one can manufacture not only bread, biscuits, and flapjacks, but feed the dogs, apply to burns and wounds, chink the log cabin, brew hooch, and some may even resole boots."  Also, we have found that you can tan small animal skins with it.  Gringo Billy claims it can be used as emergency musket balls, a poultice for ugly body parts, and to bomb pigeons to get even with them.
        Mr. J. Wayne Fears, author of Backcountry Cooking, made trips to Alaska and gleaned much information from the Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Alaska.  Their home economists have worked sourdough cooking into a science.  Here is Fears' version of how sourdough became an Alaskan legend :

        In the early days of Alaska, bread making at home was a necessity.  Food supplies only came once or twice a year by ship and then transferred to smaller boats, river steamer, dog sleds, or backpacks to reach their destination.  Many localities received supplies only when a steamer could navigate the river on the lake during the few months of summer thaw.  Orders placed the year before required careful selection, keeping close attention to qualities, since the timing en route proved uncertain.
        Yeast supplies ran out and replacements could be a long time in coming, especially if unusual ice formations, winds or seas delayed the ship's entry into the rivers or ports of call.  So, the sourdough starter method evolved, keeping a continuous supply of leavened dough on hand.  Ordinary yeast plants, sensitive to extreme cold, refused to grow well, while the combination of wild or adapted yeast in the sourdough starter proved tough.

As with wine, your starter gets better with age.  I hope you enjoy this wonderful creation as much as so many of us do.

        For best results, use only glass or pottery containers, plastic bowls are fine as well.  Never use a metal container or leave a metal spoon in the starter.  The reason you never want to use metal is because it will kill your starter.  A good starter contains only yeast, flour, and water.  It has a clean sour odor.  The liquid will separate from the batter when it stands several days, but this does not matter.
        Commercial sourdough starters are dried or powdered.  Adding water and warmth brings it to life.  When growing, the yeast gives off carbon dioxide that forms the bubbles in sourdough, or any other yeast dough.  Soda is added to react with the acids resulting from the yeast action, thus forming more gas and making the batter lighter.  If too much soda is added, the product will be brownish in color when baked.  If too little soda is used, the product will be too sour in taste.  Add the soda just before baking.  In any sourdough recipe it is most helpful to reserve one tablespoon of the liquid to dissolve the soda.  Add this to the batter last, mix thoroughly, and bake.  Never add soda to the starter, as this will kill the yeast.
        When setting the starter out, empty all you have into a large bowl.  Add only plain water or potato water and flour, mixing completely.  The consistency is about the same as thin paste.  Then cover loosely and leave overnight.  IMPORTANT :  In the morning before adding anything, fill your jar back up, leaving some room for expansion.  You should always keep this much "sponge" as a starter.  You may put a teaspoon of sugar on top after you put your sponge back in the jar.  This feeds it.
        Starter will keep almost indefinitely in a clean covered-glass container in the refrigerator.  If unused for several weeks, the starter may need to set out an extra night before flour and water are added to stand overnight for use.
        Sourdough may be dried for easy storing or sharing.  To dry, drop teaspoons-full on wax paper.  Turn frequently until completely dry.  Drying takes about 24 hours.  Store these dry wafers in a covered jar.  To reconstitute, crumble 2 or 3 of the discs in 1/2 cup warm water.  Let stand overnight or until bubbly.  Add 1/cup water and 1/2 cup flour and stir.  Let stand overnight or until bubbly.  Use as directed in recipes.
        The old-time sourdough users would add enough flour to their starter to shape it into a ball and then put it in a sack of flour for easy carrying.  Some Alaskans are still using a starter traced back to an original pot brought into the country with the gold rush.  To them, the sourdough pot is a prized possession.  Also I am told that there is a starter being used in a San Francisco restaurant that dates back to 1850, when it was first mixed.  Elizabeth Thomas and her children maintain a sourdough that is about 200 years old.
        To increase your supply of starter for sharing, set the sponge out as if you were planning to make sourdough pancakes the following day.  In the morning, instead of adding eggs, sugar, etc., remove your portion of starter as usual, then either dry as directed above, or place other portions in a clean glass or pottery container for sharing.
        To start a sourdough pot, you may be fortunate enough to share one of the starters handed down over the years.  Or you may wish to make your own starter.

Mix well in a bowl :

2 cups flour
1 package dry yeast or one yeast cake
2 cups warm water

        Place in warm place or closed cupboard overnight.  In the morning, put 1/2 cup of the starter in a scalded pint jar, cover, and store in the refrigerator or a cool place for future use.  Leave lots of room for expansion in the container, or set the lid on without tightening it.  This is sourdough starter.  The remaining batter can be used immediately for pancakes or whatever your little heart desires.

[Bill notes] So far, we obviously have baker's yeast starter, not sourdough.  We trust that, as time goes by, the yeast will evolve into a more robust sourdough.

        Here are some helpful hints :  Cooking with sourdough takes practice.  The more you use it, the more you will be experimenting.  For some recipes, you might want your batter thicker or thinner.  When you look at your sponge in the morning after being set out, notice the amount of bubbles – if there is a lot, chances are the recipe you'll be using will turn out nice and light and fluffy.  If there are only a few bubbles, you may want to add an extra egg or liquid to thin it down some.  Try to remember what you did or didn't do the time before.
        It is good to add water and stir that in before stirring in the flour when setting the sponge out.  Also, here is where you will decide how much you want to make.  The more water and flour you add to the sponge, the more you will have for the recipes planned for the next morning.  We use a five-quart bowl to set out the sponge, and with the flour and water, it comes to about the two quart line.  Overnight, it rises up to the rim.  After putting the starter back in the jar, we make enough pancakes for breakfast and one or two loaves of bread, depending on how many pancakes are eaten.  I use a 9-inch electric skillet for pancakes.  I pour the batter until it just about reaches the sides, cover, cook until it's dry on top, turn, spread butter over, and cook until done.  One that size is plenty for an adult unless he is totally famished.  The kids eat half that size.
        When you put butter on the pancake while it's cooking, the pancake absorbs the butter, so I spread it, making the pancake soft all over instead of just one spot.
        If I want to make bread for supper, I separate the sponge I want to use for pancakes and put into a different bowl, then set the sponge for the bread or cake in a warm place (top of refrigerator) until I'm ready to complete the bread-making process.  Usually if it is for supper, I don't add the other ingredients until about 2:00 or 2:30.  Then it will have time to rise twice before baking.  Also, the included bread recipe calls for much more time than needed for baking.  You will want to watch that, depending on how many loaves you're baking.
        Another thing, do not grease your skillet too much, unless you like crispy or greasy pancakes.  For wheat bread, just use wheat flour.  For French bread, roll the bread into a 15" or 12" loaf and let rise on a cookie sheet lightly sprinkled with cornmeal.
        Instead of a pint jar as suggested, we use a quart jar for the sponge.  The measurements are not exact, but you will notice differences with experimentation.

        Set the starter out the night before, according to instructions given above for Sourdough Starter.  In the morning, it will have swollen to a greater volume.  Divide off enough of this sponge to refill your starter jar and save it in the refrigerator.  You should have 1-2 cups of sponge remaining.  Add to the sponge :

1 or 2 eggs
1 Tbls. oil
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. sugar

        If you'd like, add 2 Tbls. powdered milk for extra nutrition.  Beat with a wooden or plastic spoon until blended well.  Heat and grease your skillet.  Then just before baking, add one tsp. soda dissolved in a Tbls. or so of water.  The batter is about the same as store-bought mixes, although slightly thicker.  Pour desired amount into the heated skillet and cover.  Turn only once when cake is dry on the top side.  Put a pat of butter on it, cover, and cook until done.  Serve with syrup, jelly, molasses and butter.

        Set the sponge out as instructed under Sourdough Starter, above.  In the morning, save your starter sponge.  To the remainder, add :

1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dry milk
1/2 cup melted fat or oil
1 or 2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 to 1 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1 tsp. soda dissolved in 1 Tbls. water.

        Sift dry ingredients into bowl.  Form a depression.  Mix eggs and fat thoroughly with the sponge.  Add this to the depression in the bowl, stirring only enough to moisten the flour.  Add desired fruit.  Add the soda water just before filling tins.  Fill the greased tins 3/4 way full.  Bake in 375° oven for 30-35 minutes.  Yields 20 small or 12 large muffins.

        Set the sponge out (reference Sourdough Starter instructions) and let stand in a warm place overnight.  Save your starter.  To the remaining sponge, which should be about 2 cups, add :

4 cup sifted flour (or more)
2 Tbls. fat or oil
2 Tbls. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. soda in 1 Tbls. water

        Sift dry ingredients into a bowl, making a well in the center.  Add oil to the sponge and mix well.  Pour into the well.  Add enough flour for kneading.  Knead on a floured board 10-15 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 2 to 4 hours or until doubled in volume.  Dissolve soda in warm water and add to dough.  Knead it thoroughly.  Shape into 2 loaves in bread pans and set aside to rise.  When doubled, bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes.

1/2 cup thick starter
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup water
1/4 cup dry milk

        Mix and let ferment 2-3 hours in a warm place until bubbly and there is a clean sour-milk odor.  To this, add :

1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. soda
2 eggs
3 squares chocolate
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

        Cream shortening, sugar, salt, and soda.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Combine creamed mixture and melted chocolate with sourdough mixture.  Stir 300 strokes or mix at low speed until blended.  Pour into pans.  Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.  Cool and add frosting.

AMISH FRIENDSHIP CINNAMON BREAD
(from Granny Annie)

STARTER

ingredients :
      1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
      ¼ cup warm water (110°F / 45°C)
      3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
      3 cups white sugar, divided
      3 cups milk

Directions :

1.  In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Let stand 10 minutes.  In a 2-quart glass, plastic, or ceramic container, combine 1-cup flour and 1 cup sugar.  Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added.  Slowly stir in 1-cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture.  Cover loosely and let stand at room temperature until bubbly.  Consider this day 1 of the 10-day cycle.  Do not refrigerate.  Store on countertop throughout process.

2. On days 2 thru 4, stir starter with a wooden spoon.  Day 5, stir in 1-cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk.  Days 6 thru 9 stir only.

3. Day 10: Stir in 1 cup flour, 1-cup sugar and 1 cup milk.  Remove 1 or 2 cups to make your first bread, give three cups to friends along with the recipe.  Store the remaining starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (starting with step 2).  You can also freeze this starter in 1-cup measures for later use.  Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using.

Don't worry about the milk content in the starter.  It doesn't spoil at room or refrigerator temperature, for a reasonable period, so long as it is in use or kept fed with sugar.  But for long-term storage, I freeze it.

RECIPE :

To approximately 1 cup of starter add :
      1 cup oil
      ½ cup milk
      3 eggs
      1 tsp. Vanilla

In another large bowl, stir together :
      2 ¼ cups flour
      1-cup sugar
      1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
      ½ tsp. Baking soda
      ½ tsp. Salt
      2 tsp cinnamon
      5.1 oz. Box instant vanilla pudding

Stir all of these ingredients together.  Add all the dry ingredients to the first bowl and mix well.

In a small bowl, mix together 1/3-cup sugar and 1 tsp. Cinnamon.  Spray or grease two loaf pans (with cooking spray or butter).  Then sprinkle loaf pans with the cinnamon sugar mix and pour in the batter.  You could sprinkle some on top also.  Bake at 325° degrees for 1 hour or until done.

Note :  My neighbor gave me some starter in a large, plastic, ziplock bag and instead of stirring, you just mush the bag two times/day.  These directions follow :

Day 1  Do nothing
Day 2  Mush bag two times during the day
Day 3  Repeat
Day 4  Repeat
Day 5  Repeat
Day 6  Add to the bag :
      1 cup flour
      1 cup milk
      1 cup sugar
      Seal bag, letting out as much air as possible.
      Mush ingredients together.
Day 7  Mush bag two times during the day, letting out air.
Day 8  Repeat
Day 9  Repeat
Day 10 Squeeze contents of bag into a large bowl and proceed with above recipe.  Add anything you want to this recipe; my favorites are nuts and raisins.