A simple, natural leaven made by fermenting flour and water to cultivate wild yeast and beneficial bacteria—used to bake flavorful sourdough bread.

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Day 1: In a clean jar, stir together 60 g whole‑grain flour and 60 g water until smooth. Cover loosely and let sit at room temperature (70–75 °F/21–24 °C) for 24 hours.
Day 2: You may see small bubbles. Discard half of the mixture (about 60 g). Feed with 30 g whole‑grain flour, 30 g all‑purpose flour, and 60 g water. Stir, cover, and rest for another 24 hours.
Days 3–7: Each day, discard half the starter, then feed with 30 g whole‑grain flour, 30 g all‑purpose flour, and 60 g water. Stir and loosely cover.
During this period, look for consistent bubbling, mild tangy aroma, and doubling in volume within 8–12 hours after feeding.
By day 7–10: The starter should be reliably doubling within 6–8 hours of feeding and have a pleasant sour smell—now it’s ready to use for baking.
To maintain: Keep on kitchen counter and feed daily, or refrigerate and feed weekly. Before baking, feed and let it come to peak activity (doubling) at room temperature.

Use non-chlorinated water; chlorine can inhibit yeast and bacteria growth.
Keep starter loosely covered to let gases escape but avoid contamination.
Fairly consistent feeding schedule yields more predictable performance.
If mold or off smells appear, discard and start over.
You can switch to all‑purpose flour after initial establishment, though whole‑grain gives faster fermentation.