STEP 1:

Freshly picked Hightower Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. I tasted them and they were actually delicious. Not as sweet as table grapes, but nice sweetness and acid balance. I always thought wine grapes would not be tasty but their flavor brought out in the process of making wine.

STEP 2:

Discard any unfavorable grapes. Wash to remove any debris.

STEP 3:

Weigh out grapes to 1-1/2 pounds.

STEP 4:

Wrap grapes in cheese cloth to make a sachet.

STEP 5:

Gather needed ingredients: grapes, all purpose unbleached flour and water. Recipe calls for 1-1/2 pounds grapes, 2 pounds all purpose flour and 3 pounds water 75 degrees.

STEP 6:

Combine water and flour.

STEP 7:

Mix until smooth.

STEP 8:

Holding grape sachet over bowl, squeeze sachet releasing juice into the flour mixture. Submerge sachet into flour mixture.

STEP 9:

Let stand for 24 hours at room temperature to start the fermentation process. After 24 hours, remove sachet and discard. Look at the activity from the natural yeast found on the skins of the grapes. Our starter is born. This looks great!

STEP 10:

Combine your recipe of 2 pounds flour and 3 pounds water. Mix thoroughly in a separate bowl. This will be added to the starter; this is called "feeding the starter".

STEP 11:

For your first feeding, you directly add the mixture and again let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Mix thoroughly.

STEP 12:

The feeding process takes place everyday. After the first feeding, discard 1/2 the starter and feed flour mixture to that. Your volume will get so large if you don't discard. If you have liquid gathering at the top you need to move your starter into the refrigerator. Your room temperature is too warm.

STEP 13:

Look at the yeast activity in this starter...this looks great!

STEP 14:

I transferred the starter into a plastic bucket for more efficient space use. Plastic, stainless steel or ceramic containers are perfect. It was 3 weeks before I started to make a bread with this starter. It was fed each day during that 3 weeks. I like to use the starter 8-20 hours after it was fed.

STEP 15:

The feeding process takes place everyday. After the first feeding, discard 1/2 the starter and feed flour mixture to that. Your volume will get so large if you don't discard. If you have liquid gathering at the top you need to move your starter into the refrigerator. Your room temperature is too warm.