Sourdough Starter Series Part 1: What is sourdough?

Ever heard of sourdough? Of course, you have!

But what is it really?

Basically, sourdough bread is not your average bread. What makes this bread so special is the way it is made to rise. Instead of using store-bought or commercial yeast as most of us are used to, naturally occurring yeast is used, a “starter” or a “sourdough culture.”

This begs the question: What is a sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter is a natural culture of wild yeast and good bacteria used to leaven bread.

Prior to commercial yeast we now find in stores, there’s wild yeast, and it lives everywhere, including in the air, our food, and in flour! But wild yeast, as well as bacteria, requires a medium to thrive.

That’s where water and the food source (flour) come in. The yeast and bacteria are “activated” once water is added to flour (which contains yeast).

When you start seeing bubbles forming, that’s your cue that the yeast and bacteria are active and multiplying, meaning they are feeding on the starches in the flour and then releasing acids, gases, and alcohol.

Now, where can we buy that “starter”? you might ask.

The answer—you make it, though you can still buy one. But we’ll delve into that later.

Making sourdough yeast or a “starter” is quite simple. Although there are tons of methods to make a starter, the most basic form would be combining water and flour.

The process is called fermentation. Basically, you mix water and flour and leave it to “ferment” for a day or two. And voila! A naturally occurring yeast is made. You only need to feed your live culture with a fresh batch of water and flour so they’re happy and healthy and be strong enough to leaven bread.

Well, isn’t it amazing?

That’s just it! Two simple ingredients to create your own sourdough starter. Nothing fancy. Think of it as caring for a very temperamental pet.

But the really amazing part is what this natural yeast does to your regular bread. It gives it a flavor all on its own. Tangy with a slightly chewy texture, your bread will definitely stand out with this one.

Not only is your bread going to be tasty and full of flavor, but also it will be healthy because of all the good bacteria that will be packed in there courtesy of your natural yeast.

So go ahead and give sourdough a try. You’ll never look at bread the same way ever again.

Oh, before we forget, you can buy a dehydrated starter and have it shipped to your home and then follow the instructions to bring them back to life so you can start baking!

There’s still more to talk about. So make sure to stay tuned for our Sourdough Starter Series Part 2!

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