Cultures for Health--A Wonderful Company

I began with this company because I wanted to try my hand at sourdough bread making and this company offered over ten varieties of sourdough cultures just for breads. They also offered cultures for buttermilk, yogurt, kombucha and kefir. The sourdough culture worked beautifully. I followed the easy directions and within 4 days I was making bread, and waffles, and pancakes, and even cakes. The directions were easy to follow and the website has many recipes to try.

Basic Bread Recipe:
I put these ingredients in my bread machine on the dough cycle. While the machine is running I watch the dough carefully and add flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. If you have ever made bread you know how bread should come together all silky like and stretchy. Sourdough bread is tricky, trickier than regular bread, because the starter can have various liquid content.
2 1/3 cups of sourdough starter
1 cup of water (spring or filtered water)
3 1/3 cups of regular organic unbleached flour
scant tablespoon of salt 
2 tablespoons of sugar

Place all ingredients in a bread machine, mixer with a dough hook, or in a bowl and mix by hand. Sourdough should be a little stickier than regular bread, that is why it works better using a machine to mix it instead of by hand. Let rise until doubled, punch gently down and shape into a loaf pan or into a log for french bread. Let rise again until almost doubled. Sourdough bread can take a long time to rise, so I usually start a loaf in the morning to have it all done by evening. Bake in 350 oven for 40-45 minutes. After taking out of oven, I like to rub butter over the loaf to keep the crust soft. 

Now there are all kinds of ways to cook sourdough bread. Ways to spray water into the oven. One day I will try this and let you know how it works.

One more thing I have bought and tried from this company is the buttermilk. I love using buttermilk in recipes like waffles and biscuits and for making salad dressing. What is nice about these grains is that it is continuous, you can make this buttermilk indefinitely, just by saving 1/4 a cup per quart. 

All this to try and add cultured foods to my diet. Later I will share an easy waffle recipe, a wonderful pancake recipe (these are great to keep in the freezer for quick breakfasts) and a wonderful carrot cake recipe too!

Cultures for Health Website