Ask Allie!
What is Ask Allie?
Ask Allie is our food-related advice column, where you can ask all your fermenting, cooking, baking, and pantry-related questions to get digestible answers! No question about food is off limits!
Most of you will receive an emailed reply prior to your question hitting the blog, since I frequently think you need a more immediate answer. You should anticipate 1-2 weeks between submitting your question and its appearance on blog. Although emailed replies normally take between 1-3 days, it can take up to a week.
To have your question answered in Ask Allie posts, please use the form on our website. If you prefer to be anonymous, just say so in the form and we’ll leave your name out when we answer it in the blog! Note that some submissions may be edited for clarity.
For troubleshooting active issues with a culture you’re working with, please check the FAQs or write us at support@positivelyprobiotic.com - you’ll get your answer faster that way! Please also take advantage of our Facebook group for troubleshooting, conversation, and getting to know more members of our community!
Hi, my probiotic order came in the mail and was in a very hot mailbox all day before I was able to get it. I am wondering if this is a problem? I put the probiotics in the freezer immediately. Thanks for taking the time to read my concern.
— Lot more of you, now that it’s summer
Nope, it’s totally fine. When Sabrina sends me cultures this time of year, I make sure not to let them linger in the box for a bunch of days like I normally do with my mail, but they’ll be fine for days in the hot mailbox, even.
I ordered the UFO lame and it arrived, but I don't believe it has a razor blade in it. There is a plastic pieces that appears to be a place-holder for a razor blade, but I don't see how I open the lame to insert a blade and non arrived with the product. I also don't see how you open it to insert a blade?
— Susan
With your non-dominant hand, hold the bottom half of the disk firmly (not tightly). With dominant hand, you’ll unscrew the top piece. The plastic looking thing inside is a wrapped razor, so you’ll pull that out, unwrap, put back in, then screw the top back on. If you’re not planning to use it right then, you’ll want the razor centered. If you are going to use it, position it so part of the razor will be sticking out. Be careful, of course, when you screw the top back on if the razor is out. This design really confused me at first too, but I’ve come to love it because you can safely store it with the razor in a drawer due to the way the razor can tuck completely inside the unit.
I have a crock of Old Fashion Sourdough Starter (with a packet of starter unopened) that I've had maybe close to 45 years. Bought it in San Francisco. Do you think that it is still good?
— Aliece
This is wicked cool. The short answer is, “maybe.” People have revived ancient Egyptian yeast and made bread with it, but that may not mean you can successfully revive a 45 year old starter. I would try it, but also I would baby it and would definitely make sure I stir it a lot (10 minutes per feed) to make sure it’s well aerated. Please keep me posted on how this goes. What a cool experiment!
