Ginger Beer Starter

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.04

Title: Ginger Beer Starter
Categories: Polkadot, Faylen, Breads, Brewing
Yield: 1 Servings

3 md Potatoes
3 c Water
1/2 c Corn meal
2 ts Salt
Foam from 12-ounce can
-chilled beer

Cook the potatoes in the water until tender. Drain off liquid and
add more water if necessary to make 3 full cups again. Put potatoes
through food mill or sieve. Scald the corn meal in 1 cup of the
potato water until it reaches the boiling point and thickens,
stirring constantly to be sure that no lumps form. Now combine the
sieved potatoes, 2 cups potato water, corn meal mixture, sugar and
salt in large bowl (do not use metal or plastic). Let cool until just
warm. Pour the cold beer slowly into a large glass. Immediately skim
off all the foam and stir into the mixture in the bowl. Cover tightly
and set in warm place (80 to 85) until fermentation is complete. In
warm, humid weather this will take about 24 hours. In cold weather it
may require several more hours for the starter to become foamy
throughout. Stir occasionally during the process. Pour into a large
(about 2 quart size) glass container and store in the refrigerator at
about 38 degrees. Do not put the lid on tightly until the working
has subsided.

Let starter ripen about 3 days until 1/2 inch or more of clear liquid
has risen to top. Stir thoroughly each time before a portion is
removed for baking. When the supply has been reduced to about 1
cupful or a little more, repeat the beginning process with the
exception that no more beer foam needs to be used. When the mixture
of potatoes, potato water, corn meal mixture, salt and sugar are well
blended and cool, add the remainder of the old starter and stir well.
Cover and set in a warm place until fermented as before (8 to 12
hours). Store in refrigerator and let ripen again until the clear
liquid comes to the top before starting to use from this new supply.

"Using the recipe for Beer Starter, substitute 1/2 cup English Ginger
Beer (found in either brown glass bottles or tin cans in the gourmet
sections of most supermarkets) for the foam from chilled beer. This
makes the very best smelling starter I have ever worked with."

From: Breads and Coffee Cakes with Homemade Starters

* The Polka Dot Palace BBS 1-201-822-3627. Posted by FAYLEN

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