Uh Oh... I think I killed it.

You remember yesterday, when I said that I had started my very own sourdough starter?
Well of course you do, because you don't have the memory issues that I have.
Or maybe that should just be classed as having "little attention to detail", rather than memory issues.
Because that sounds better, and less ermmm... "age-related".
But just to reassure you, I do remember yesterdays post and all that it involved, so I haven't lost all my marbles yet.
Some maybe.... but not all.

See...I was meticulous with that dear little sourdough starter.
I thoroughly sterilized the container, and the plastic measuring spoon before mixing the flour and water together, and I checked it faithfully every 8 hours or so.
Adding more flour and water... stirring it in... and talking and crooning to it... because I had a little live thing growing in my kitchen.
Not that I talk or croon to the sometimes "off" or moldy contents of my refrigerator, because that would be just weird.
The dregs of stuff that sometimes ends up living in the vegetable crisper and the back of the fridge... well, that stuff could kill ya... although I guess it might be a memorable death.

But, I had high hopes that little live fermenting thing on my kitchen counter would eventually turn into all kinds of wondrous, tempting, and tasty treats... and help me recreate some wonderful memories.
Or even just allow me to eat a decent piece of toast for a change

But now on to the sad part of my tale.
(Go grab your tissues, if you're prone to tears)

Last night, just before going to bed... I did a final check and feed of my starter.
I got out the flour, got out a spoon, and proceeded to give my baby a nighttime feed.

And then this morning, I woke up to several emails and comments in my in-box, telling me NOT - under any circumstances, to use a metal spoon to stir the starter.
Because the metal reacts - badly - with the live cultures.
It kills 'em.
Dead.
Which is what I did twice yesterday.
Twice! (smacks head and says *Duh Doodley!*)

Now I remember reading the "no metal" tip somewhere, and several times, in all the research I had done, but it had just never sunk in for some reason.
I guess I was off like a bull at the gate, and never really "took-in" the finer details of what I was doing.
And just because I wanted my very own starter to make sourdough bread with, I didn't pay attention to the details and ended up killing a sweet little organism that was to make my life happier and better in so many ways...

So I went to check out Michaela's blog Life in Small Town Wyoming. ... and particularly her "Sourdough Series". (which I should have done in the first place. I know that now)
Because Michaela knows what she's doing, when it comes to sourdough.
At least I hope so, anyway.
And yep... according to her "sourdough series" it looks like I killed my starter.

Ahhh... pi** on it.
If this one fails, I'll just start another one.

And I won't get so emtionally attached next time.
I swear.