Friendship Bread-- I just don't get it

[MomNeedsVacay]

okay, so I just got this starter bag-o-goo that has to sit on my countertop for about 10 days and occasionally it gets squeezed eventually you add some stuff and bake it... How does this make us better friends?? And why does it take so dang long?! I'm an instant gratification kind of gal--- I have to wait this long to make some dang bread???!! Is there a history behind this crazy "Friendship Bread"?

 

[Ohiodislover]

Don't have the history.

Just wanted to say AMEN SISTER!!!!


I've had AT least 10-12 starters, and never once has it made it to actual bread

 

[MissyDVC]

okay, so I just got this starter bag-o-goo that has to sit on my countertop for about 10 days and occasionally it gets squeezed eventually you add some stuff and bake it... How does this make us better friends?? And why does it take so dang long?! I'm an instant gratification kind of gal--- I have to wait this long to make some dang bread???!! Is there a history behind this crazy "Friendship Bread"?

 

[powellrj]

Its just too much stress for me! I have had them over the years and would just get stressed dealing with it! I have made the bread a few times and was underwhelmed.

Here is what I found about the history:

Anthropologists say people like to share things they have invested their time in. It is the notion of giving something of yourself. Although this friendship bread starter is a frugal gift, it is homemade and it produces a mouth-watering bread with a distinctive taste that can only be achieved with the starter.

 

[minniecarousel]

I think it tastes wonderful, but I hate to think of the calories. I don't really mind having it, I just don't like the responsibility of having to pass it along! I don't know who would like to have it.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I have had several different types of starters over the years and have NEVER liked the bread that was made from them. And then you end up with more bags of goo you have to farm out to all your friends.

 

[DVCLiz]

It should be called Friendship Cake - it is much closer to a coffee cake, with all that sugar on the top. It is delicious - I could eat a whole loaf in about a day if no one was watching!!!

Here's a hint - if you bake what you have and keep a starter but you are tired of how demanding it is, put the starter in the freezer. Then you can thaw it out and start it again at your leisure.

We got some starter this summer from a babysitting customer of DDs, and we were obsessed for the whole summer. Now we are taking a break - I'll probably make some for Thanksgiving and keep it going until after Christmas.

It's not that hard to deal with - squish, squish, squish, add, add, add, squish, add and bake. And it's totally worth it!!!

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

okay...so If I follow through with this bread-- will others be burdened by me giving them a starter bag-o-goo? :

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

okay...so If I follow through with this bread-- will others be burdened by me giving them a starter bag-o-goo? :

Personally, I'd rather get a chain email that I can ignore and delete. But that's me.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I wonder how long it'll take before it smells like I'm hiding a yeasty, fermented drunk in my kitchen!

 

[lovetoscrap]

There are several different versions of Friendship bread. I have had some that are more like a cake, and others more like a yeast bread. All of them did end up with extra "goo" that you were supposed to pass on.

I would guess that the tradition started with the idea that you needed a "starter" for your yeast bread--much like current sourdough. You couldn't just buy yeast at the Walmart way back when. So you saved some of your dough to use the next time, and it collected more yeast spores when you left it out to ferment. And of course the friendly thing to do was to share with your neighbors if they needed any.

 

[Imzadi]

If you've survived the growing bacteria in a starter bag-o-goo that was sitting on your countertop for about 10 days, then you know they are a real friend and not someone out to kill you.

Personally, I'd rather get a chain email that I can ignore and delete. But that's me.

Never ignore the goo!

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

There are several different versions of Friendship bread. I have had some that are more like a cake, and others more like a yeast bread. All of them did end up with extra "goo" that you were supposed to pass on.

I would guess that the tradition started with the idea that you needed a "starter" for your yeast bread--much like current sourdough. You couldn't just buy yeast at the Walmart way back when. So you saved some of your dough to use the next time, and it collected more yeast spores when you left it out to ferment. And of course the friendly thing to do was to share with your neighbors if they needed any.

ohhhhhh--- thanks for the input on that---that makes it more special!!

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

If you've survived the growing bacteria in a starter bag-o-goo that was sitting on your countertop for about 10 days, then you know they are a real friend and not someone out to kill you.




Never ignore the goo!

I was just thinking about how much bacteria would be in there! How do people not get sick from this?

 

[Jeanne B]

OMG, I scrolled over your thread to read what it was about before opening it and just the first sentence was enough to get me laughing!!

okay...so If I follow through with this bread-- will others be burdened by me giving them a starter bag-o-goo? :

I'm thinking....YES!!! But everyone should get to experience friendship bread at least once!!!

 

[turkeymama]

I like my Fairy Friendship Bread and there is no goo involved. I'm certain there is no historical significance to it though.

4 Tablespoons of granulated sugar, 4 Tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 Teaspoon of cinnamon. Put that in a sandwich bag. Cut canned biscuits into fourths. Coat the pieces with sugar mixture and place 4 or 5 pieces in each muffin cup (greased). Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the biscuits pieces and bake at 350 for 11 minutes. Yummy.

I'd much rather receive that than a bag-o-goo and I wouldn't be afraid to eat it, either.

 

[dare2dream]

Is the 2 Tab of melted butter divided among the 8-10 muffins cups?

 

[turkeymama]

Is the 2 Tab of melted butter divided among the 8-10 muffins cups?

Yes.

 

[Silent1CB]

Its been 20 years since I've received a bag-o-goo. Nice to know its still going around. I remember it tasting good.

Wonder if its from the same original batch?

 

[Imzadi]

Wonder if its from the same original batch?

I was wondering the same thing.

A 20 year bag-o-goo!