A starter routine you can keep

A starter is a small flour-and-water culture. Keeping it useful is about a manageable routine, not a special jar or an elaborate name.

Measure before adding

Use a clean jar and weigh your starter, flour and water. A 100% hydration starter uses equal weights of flour and water. Keep a small amount if you bake occasionally; you can build more when needed.

Observe the cycle

Watch how it rises, bubbles and settles after feeding. Temperature and flour change the pace. Record what happens in your kitchen rather than assuming a fixed number of hours.

Count it in the formula

Two hundred grams of a 100% hydration starter contains 100g flour and 100g water. Both are part of the final dough, so subtract them from what you add. The dough calculator shows the arithmetic clearly.

Ask when you are unsure

Do not taste raw starter to assess it. If you are uncertain about contamination or safe use, seek qualified food-safety guidance and discard it when appropriate. A class tutor can explain a routine; an AI reply cannot certify food is safe.