A couple of summers ago I worked hard to make a sourdough starter and didn't succeed, but without really trying now I've got a great starter.

It started with:

Biga Starter for Bread

2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon yeast

Put all ingredients in a mixer bowl. Use the mixing beater, not the dough hook. Throw in the ingredients and mix for less than one minute until you get something that looks like pancake batter. If it doesn't add a little more water. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it stand four days, stirring down once in awhile. Save 1 cup of starter in a non-metal container in the refrigerator, and the night before you are ready to use it, replenish with 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon sugar.




Sourdough pancakes have a tang that goes well with the sweetness of the maple syrup.



Sourdough Pancakes
1 1/2 cups starter
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon soda dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon salad oil

Combine the ingredients and let stand 30 minutes before cooking.



I'm going to make some breakfast sausage to go with these pancakes. I'm using country style spareribs because that's what I have on hand, and it will be lower in fat.

Breakfast Sausage Patties

2 pounds fresh pork (Boston shoulder roast, picnic shoulder, or arm roast), ground
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon rosemary, finely crushed
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Cut pork away from the bones and divide into strips or chunks. Feed into a meat grinder. (or use a food processor) Combine ground pork with remaining ingredients and shape into patties the size of a biscuit (2 1/2 by 1/2 inch). Wrap in waxed paper and then in foil. Refrigerate for 24 hours to develop flavor. Fry in hot lard or shortening for 15 minutes, or bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot.

This recipe is from Yankee magazine, good New England cooking.

Oh, darn! I was going to have the pancakes tonight but decided to make the sausage so had to wait until tomorrow so the pork would thaw out. Now I see that we'll have to wait yet another day for the sausage flavors to develop. It'll be worth the wait.