[3] The starter 'breathes' when covered loosely with a tea-towel and left out on the worktop and stirred occasionally.

This occurs because of the yeast in the Herman starter, making the mixture frequently bubble.

The Herman starter is given in a jar with a set of instructions to guide through the next ten days with the mixture.

These ingredients can include eggs, cinnamon, apples,[2] chocolate, and cherries to make Herman sweet or olives and sun-dried tomatoes for a savoury taste.

The German magazine Stern noted the resurgence in popularity of 'Hermann Teig' in Germany in the early 2000s - including the publication of a book by Dr. Oetker titled "Backen mit Hermann und Siegfried" - and commented on the similarity to another food trend: Kombucha, a fermented sweetened tea.