NovySan made bread last night. This inspired me to make a starter this afternoon, so we’ll have it for future loaves.

I cracked open the normally-very-reliable Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads,
and selected a recipe for honey starter. Warm water – check. All-purpose flour – check. Yeast – check. Two tablespoons honey – check. Pour into a one quart jar with a tight-fitting lid? Hmm… Yes, there’s a jar – an old honey jar, in fact. Size? 48 ounces – more than a quart. Hmm… That seems very full, but that’s what the book says… Now, lid. Well, this one’s not exactly airtight, but it should do. (And do I want it really tight? Won’t there be gases from the fermentation? How will those escape?) Now, leave it somewhere warm… Aha, I’ll put it in this stockpot, next to the slow cooker – that’ll keep it cozy.

Half an hour later, I heard a sound. A sort of yeasty, moisty, burbly kind of sound.

I went to investigate.

And this is what I found.