I'm a novice at "homsteading" and a rather recent subscriber to Countryside. As you all seem to be helpful, I need some basic information. I'm looking for basic recipes for making vinegar. I can't find any the right type of information on the Internet. We have a cider press and I want to recycle the "remains." Also, I read of people "capturing" yeast, but usually the scope of the conversation is beyond me. I need someone to explain it to me, since I've never made a sourdough starter, etc. Is there a way to propogate yeast without using store boug

-- Cheryl Marling (cmarling@beol.net), March 07, 2000

Answers

At the feed store in my area there is a section that sells the fixings for making your own vinegar. It starts with something called mother. I haven't tried to make my own yet, but it sounds interesting. As for yeast if you can't find someone who has a starter going you can make your own. But you can do it several different ways. The easiest does start with commercial yeast. You use the packet size or the cube and add it to a cup of flour and a cup of water and mix well, making sure that your water is room temp. Keep this out in the room until you see the yeast working, there will be bubbles. You need to feed the starter every couple of days or so if kept at room temp. You can put it in the fridge and only take out what you need. The recipes differ greatly but the Alaskan Cookbook is very helpful if you can find it. I'll try to find some recipes without commercial yeast, I just don't have them at hand. Good luck.

-- Jody Hatch (chitina@alaska.net), March 07, 2000.

I don't know about vinegar but I can tell you how to capture wild yeast. The ingredients are: 4 cups unbleached white flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons honey, 4 cups potato water(water drained off of cooked potatoes) Mix this in a non-metal container big enough to allow for it to expand. cover it loosely and let it stand for two or three days. It should be foamy and smell yeasty and sour. If it molds and smells rotten dump it and start over. The yeasty sour smell means you have captured wild yeast and have a good starter. Let it stand a few more days in the refrigerator to develop a good sour smell. This is in a small Storey Country Wisdom bulletin I bought at a hardware store. It has some very good recipes and very clear directions on using sourdough. They have a web site where you can order one for a little over $3.00. http://www.storey.com Peggy

-- Peggy (wclpc@cookeville.com), March 08, 2000.

For an inexpensive cider vinegar mother, buy a bottle of Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. It is not pasteurized and states on the label that it contains the mother. It should be available in any health food store. I think Storey Communications has a book on cider making that contains a chapter on vinegar.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), March 08, 2000.