Sourdough and salve........

Over the past few days I've commenced two sourdough starters ( I had to start a second after the cat ate the first one......) and made calendula salve. I have a yeast intolerance, but can tolerate REAL sourdough bread...so I'm very keen to become successful at sourdough baking!

I've wanted to make the salve for years and a few months ago planted a number of calendula plants purely to do so. I was then pleased to find a post on http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/ a few weeks back about how to go about doing so!

So back in December I started infusing the petals in olive oil on my kitchen window sill, then strained the oil through muslin to remove th epetals leaving me with a lovely golden oil:

I melted some pure beeswax in a bowl over a pot of simmering water ( because I don't have a double boiler!):

Next I mixed with the slightly warmed oil, giving it a whizz with my stick blender to emulsify it:

This salve is thick and a little goes a long way-it smells slightly of honey due to the beeswax. I applied some to my hands earlier and they feel wonderful!



Sourdough starter:

There are many options on the net to peruse if you want to try a sourdough starter-this is the one I am trying which I found on the Down to Earth Forum!

Day 1: Mixed 50g wholemeal flour with 50ml rainwater-forgot photo! :)



Day 2 : Added 50g wholemeal flour with 50ml water. Starter already bubbling and looking "spongey". Definite sour smell.

Day 3: Add 100g white flour and 100ml rainwater. Bubbly but looks wetter. Smells like slightly off milk.

Day 4: 200g white flour plus 200ml water added-very wet and looks like pancake batter. Smells yoghurty.

 

Tomorrow I will remove most of the starter, leaving 100g; to which I will add 50g white flour with 50g rainwater.

The starter I remove I will attempt to bake some bread with!