How To make Nancy Silverton's Grape Starter
2 c Bread flour
2 1/2 c Water
1/2 lb Red grapes, stemmed
The grape starter is from Julia Child's new Master Chef book($17.95 Retail). It is a recipe given by Nancy Silverton. It takes 10 days to complete but is then yours for life. Wrap the grapes in well washed cheesecloth, tieing the corners to form a bag; lightly crush them with a rolling pin (to release the sugar to mix with the natural yeast on the skins; just like making wine!) and immerse them in the flour water mix. Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap secured with a rubber band. Leave at room temperature for 6 days, stirring once or twice a day for the six days. The bag of grapes will eventually appear inflated, and liquid will begin to separate from the flour base. The mixture will begin to taste and smell slightly fruity, and the color will be strange. That is as it should be. By the sixth day the bag of grapes will have deflated, the color will be yellow, and the taste pleasantly sour; the fermentation is complete. The starter is living but weak, and it needs to be fed. Remove the grapes and squeeze their juices back into the starter. Stir it up thouroughly and transfer it to a clean container. (Although you can use it after just one feeding, the starter will be stronger and healthier with the full treatment) You can refrigerate it until you're ready to proceed. Three days before you plan to use it, stir 1 cup flour and 1 cup water into the container, blending well. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until it bubbles up - 3 to 4 hours - then cover and refrigerate. Repeat this for the second and third day. Store the starter tightly covered in the refrigerator where it will keep perfectly for 4 to 6 months.- after which it's a good idea to pour off all but 2 cups and give it another feeding. Before using the stored starter for bread, however, give it the full 3-day feeding schedule once again to restore it and to tone down excess sourness. This is the starter for the Olive Bread recipe which follows. From: Richard Taylor
How To make Nancy Silverton's Grape Starter's Videos
Foccacia Pizza Dough with Nancy Silverton | Cooking With Master Chefs Season 1 | Julia Child
From her kitchen at home in Los Angeles, baker Nancy Silverton prepares a sourdough starter, which is then used to make a loaf of rustic bread, a foccacia pizza dough and an olive bread.
About Julia Child - Cooking with Master Chefs:
Julia Child visits the kitchens of acclaimed master chefs, including Alice Waters, Jacques Pepin, Andre Soltner and more, where they demonstrate distinct techniques, regional recipes, and culinary tips that guide home cooks through their favorite recipes. Expertly preparing each dish and teaching with passion along the way, the master chefs offer a unique and inspirational learning experience.
About Julia Child on PBS:
Spark some culinary inspiration by revisiting Julia Child’s groundbreaking cooking series, including The French Chef, Baking with Julia, Julia Child: Cooking with Master Chefs and much more. These episodes are filled with classic French dishes, curious retro recipes, talented guest chefs, bloopers, and Julia’s signature wit and kitchen wisdom. Discover for yourself how this beloved cultural icon introduced Americans to French cuisine, and how her light-hearted approach to cooking forever changed how we prepare, eat and think about food. Bon appétit!
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Day 5 of making our sourdough starter
just repeating the same steps as yesterday and you can really start to smell this lovely it just so lovely
Aunt Duddie Makes Nancy Silverton's Sourdough Starter - Day 14
Today is the last day of building the sourdough starter. By the end of the day I will have gone through more than 3 bags of flour. Stay tuned for the first loaf of bread!
Making a Sourdough Starter
Make your own sourdough starter from the natural, wild yeast in the environment around you. I've used Nancy Silverton's technique of grapes, flour and water and demoed it in the vid. It is SO simple and yields fantastic results. You'll wonder why you haven't done it sooner.
Aunt Duddie Makes Nancy Silverton's Sourdough Starter - Day 06
Day 06 and all is well.............
Rustic bread (Sourdough Starter) - Nancy Silverstone 1
Rustic bread (Sourdough Starter) - Nancy Silverstone 1