I wasted $25 on a fancy sourdough starter kit that was basically just flour and water

Picked up this artisanal sourdough starter kit from a hip little shop downtown last weekend. It was $25 for a little jar with some dehydrated starter, a wooden spoon, and a 4 page booklet. I got all excited, fed it for 3 days like the instructions said, and it barely bubbled. Meanwhile my neighbor laughed and handed me a glob of her 10 year old starter in a ziplock bag for free. It took off like a rocket and my first loaf actually had decent oven spring. So I spent $25 on what was basically overpriced dust and a stick. Has anyone else fallen for one of those starter kits or am I the only sucker here?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_emma5d ago

You basically paid for a fancy paperweight. Starter snobs love handing out free goo.

davis.adam5d ago

Oh man, I feel this in my bones. I bought a $30 "artisan bread kit" once and it came with a tiny bag of flour that was basically the same stuff I could grab at the grocery store for two bucks. Now I just annoy my neighbors for starter scraps too, way better deal.