INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR DAY 1, DAY 2 & DAY3
Day 1:
Pinch moist yeast or dry yeast
Combine the flour, water and yeast in a tall 2 or 3-quart clear
plastic container with a lid. Stir well to make a thick, soft dough.
The exact consistency of the dough will vary with the brand of flour,
but don't add more flour or water at this point to adjust the
texture. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, cover tightly
with lid, and let stand in a moderate (about 70 degrees) place for
about 24 hours.
Day 2:
The chef will now have almost doubled in volume. You will see tiny
bubbles on the surface, and you might notice a slight musty smell.
Add the flour and water to the mixture and stir vigorously to
distribute the fresh ingredients and add fresh oxygen to the chef.
The texture will still be like a soft dough. You may add a little
more flour or water to make this texture, if necessary. Scrape down
the sides, cover and place in a moderate (70 degrees), draft-free
place for 24 hours.
Day 3:
The chef will now have the texture of a thick batter. It will have
almost doubled in volume and be quite bubbly. Taste it! It will have
a pronounced musty, but not bitter, flavor. The scent will be
aggressively vinegary -- that's fine. Hold the container and notice
the network of tiny bubbles throughout the chef. Add the flour and
water, and stir well to make a thick batter. (You may have to add a
little more water if your flour's absorption level is high.) Lift up
the spoon slowly and notice the texture of the chef. It will attach
itself to the spoon in sticky, gummy strands. With a marker pen, mark
the level of the chef on the side of the container. Scrape down the
sides, cover tightly, and let stand in a moderate (70 degrees)
draft-free place for 24 hours. The chef may rise and fall, but as
long as It doubles at some point during this period, it's fine. The
chef is now ready to transform into levain. If you don't want to make
the levain immediately, the chef can be refrigerated for up to 3
days. Learn more about the chef, including how to nourish and
maintain it, in Dan Lieder's book Bread Alone.
Converted by MC_Buster.
Recipe by: COOKING LIVE SHOW #CL9294
Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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