Keeping a starter alive while travelling

30 August 2026

A sourdough starter is surprisingly hard to kill, but two weeks without feeding is pushing it. Before leaving I tried two approaches at once.

The fridge jar. A stiff feed (one part starter, five parts flour, three parts water) slows everything down. It came back sluggish but alive after two feedings at room temperature.

The dried backup. A thin layer spread on baking paper, dried for a day, crumbled into an envelope. It keeps for months and wakes up in about three days. Mostly it is insurance, and a good way to share a starter with friends by post.

Next time I will skip the worrying and just do both again.