A rye starter that survived the summer

Every guide says to feed a starter twice a day. In July the kitchen sat at 27 degrees and the jar was bubbling over by lunchtime, sour enough to sting. Feeding more often only made it hungrier.

What finally worked was the opposite: a stiff starter. One part starter, five parts wholemeal rye, just enough water to make a dough that holds a thumbprint. It lives in the fridge and gets fed once every five or six days. The night before baking it comes out, gets a normal feed, and is ready in the morning.

Cold and stiff slows everything down. That is exactly what you want in August.

The loaves are a little milder than before. Nobody at home complained.