The Great Sourdough Starter Debate

So amongst artisan and hobby bakers (such as myself) there is a debate on if 'local flora' bacteria can influence sourdough starters imported from other areas of the world.

The Wall Street Journal (who I have not see cover baking issues very often) has a really good article to talk about both sides of the debate.

Here are two experts:

"In one camp are bakers, both amateurs and pros, who believe starters are unique elixirs that reflect the place where the starter was originally mixed. This theory holds that airborne microorganisms are largely responsible for a starter's flavor characteristics."

"This camp cites scientific papers that find the varieties of yeast and bacteria present in a starter are largely determined by the frequency of feedings with flour and water, the type of flour used and the temperature at which the starter is kept. Microorganisms from the air, this camp believes, influence flavor very little. So it's unimportant when or where a starter originated."

You can find the entire article here (but only for a short time):
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052702304628704575185842461583472.html

It's a good debate. I won't say which camp I am in, but I do look forward to trying out both theories...

-Matt the Weekend Baker