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1
DAY ONE: In a glass or ceramic bowl, mix 2 cups flour, warm water and yeast together thoroughly.
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2
Leave on the kitchen counter uncovered; don't refrigerate it.
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3
(You may have received 1 cup of the starter from a friend.
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4
If so, and you wish to keep the starter going, continue with the following directions.
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5
DAYS 2, 3 and 4: Stir well with wooden spoon.
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6
DAY FIVE: Stir and add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar.
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7
DAYS 6, 7 and 8: Stir well with wooden spoon.
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8
DAY NINE: Stir and add 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar; stir well.
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9
DAYS 10 and 11: Stir well with wooden spoon.
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10
DAY TWELVE: Ladle 1 cup starter into each of 4 containers and refrigerate.
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11
Use one cup to make one of the Friendship bread or cake recipes, keep one to use another time, and give two others to your friends.
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12
Don't forget to include all the recipes (including this one) when giving the starter to friends.
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13
You are ready to begin baking---at last!
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14
If you do not bake on this day, but want to have the starter handy, add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and refrigerate the mixture; the sugar will feed the yeast and keep it alive.
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15
Date the jars and every 10 days remove the starter from the refrigerator, transfer it to a bowl and feed it the usual combination of 1 cup each of milk, flour, and sugar.
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16
Leave it outside the refrigerator uncovered for 2 days, then either bake it or divide it among friends, and always save some for yourself.
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17
(The starter can be discarded, or it can be divided and frozen; thaw before using.)
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18
Note: if the starter turns pink, throw it out and start over.
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19
Also, use the same kind of flour and milk when adding the ingredients to the starter.
