May 04th, 2020

Isn't this an interesting bit of goo?  Anyone want to guess what it is?  Want to guess again?  

It's yeast!  I'm making Yeast!  This is the coolest science experiment I've ever done!  Mostly because it's probably the first science experiment I've ever done that actually worked!

I don't know if you recall, but last week I mentioned how impossible it is to buy yeast in the stores.  At least around here it is the holy grail of shopping.  Even harder to come by than toilet paper or hand sanitizer.  And I'm not even joking a little bit.  

I mentioned this to my oldest son and he agreed that it was a Unicorn purchase in his area as well.  Then he went on to kindly share with me his recipe for yeast.  And I remember thinking.."there is a recipe for yeast?"  Well of course there is.  It's not like it grows in the garden like a flower for heaven's sakes.  What was I thinking?  

I guess I was thinking that it was some long drawn out very difficult and involved process that required fancy machinery, a degree in chemistry and probably exotic and expensive ingredients.  Not one of those things was true.  

It did require a jar with a lid and I happened to have one of those on hand.   Then, (following instructions) I took cut two raisins in half and cut little tiny bits off of one dried apricot and put them in the jar with a little water.  I swirled it around together. Then added 3 tablespoons of flour and one tablespoon of water so that it made a sort of paste, put the lid on a walked away.  That was it. Seriously.   Several hours later when I happened to be walking past it, I opened the lid and gave it a stir.  At the end of the day I did it again.  

The next morning, when I checked it, I had bubbles!  BUBBLES!  That is exactly what is supposed to happen.  I opened it, added 3 more tablespoons of flour and 2 more of water, stirred it again and repeated the first day's worth of very limited activity and the next day, even more bubbles and that distinctly yeasty fragrance.  Hot Dog!  I made Yeast!  

I felt like David Copperfield.  It was like a crazy magic trick.  Every day I do the same thing, add flour and water and stir and every day it bubbles more and the scent is stronger.

At the end of the week, I can put it in the fridge (to stop the growing part) and just leave it until I need to use it.  When I want to make more, I'll just add more flour and water and stir and ....

Well Holy Cats!  If it's this simple, why have I been buying yeast all these years?

Of course, I haven't made anything with it yet soooooo the jury is still out on how it works.  So we shall see.  Bulletins as they happen

​Hope your weekend was at least as exciting as me making yeast!