Sourdough Starter - Free Giveaway

Her real name is Genevieve.  I called her Clementine for awhile.  In fact, for so long I had forgotten her true name.  My only excuse being a slight mental block with Genevieve.  Just wanted to get the record straight here.  This lovely 200+ year old (after 200, who's counting?) French (former), sourdough starter is still going strong in my kitchen.

In fact,  I just finished feeding her the weekly ration of flour and water.  Sounds like prison fare, doesn't it?  Which action made me think a new post on her life might be in order.  And, a GIVEAWAY.  Yes people, something FREE.  And, that would be .......ta da......a bit of the real thing.  You too can own harbor a 200+ year old French madam. I will send la bébé in the post, well packaged, to the lucky winner.

And, what you can do with your starter (besides feeding on a regular basis), is make some bread, or  pancakes.  Add to cake batters, waffles, make crumpets and etc. etc.  I made the easiest ever crepes by just beating an egg, throwing in about 3/4 cup of the extra starter, a pinch of salt and teaspoon sugar. 

It was Clotilde from Chocolate and Zucchini who made me realize the real potential for pancakes and crumpets, in using up the excess starter that regular feeding generates.  I mean I had made pancakes with starter, but they were less than successful.  Her recipe changed all that.  You see, a starter can be kept indefinitely in your refrigerator, with a weekly feeding.  Out on the counter, it needs to be much more frequent.  They can be voracious.

And that, dear ones,  is what brought up this whole problem opportunity.  One ENTIRE SHELF of my refrigerator is now being taken up with a ginormous pan of brining brisket.  Yes, I know, the corned beef is going to be ready a week late.  But that is all Michael Ruhlman's fault.  He posted about making your own corned beef, then tells us it needs to sit in the brine solution 5 days.  And, that was 2 days before St. Patrick's, and 4 days before I was able to get a brisket.  I'm sure it will be fabulous.  Meanwhile, something had to go, and it looks like we'll be feeding Ms. Genevieve night and day while she lives on the kitchen counter.  Just kidding.  Maybe once a day or so.  Ergo, extra starter around here.  And, that's where you come in.

My granddaughter will be the random number selector.  From 1 to whatever, from the comments list.  If anyone is actually interested in this.  Harboring of French Sourdough starters.  Just leave a comment, and I will include care and maintenance instructions before mailing it whereever needs be.  She'll be fine.  Don't worry.