The Origins of Sourdough

The origin of sourdough bread has been traced back over 5,000 years. Enjoyed by the ancient Egyptians, it was likely discovered accidentally, when bread was left out and wild yeast spores mixed into the dough. This created a bread that was lighter than their flat breads.

History

• Sourdough bread became a valued possession during the California Gold Rush days of 1849. Originally from France, the Boudin family moved to San Francisco, taking advantage of this sudden craze. Soon, their baked breads were famous; sourdough became very important to the region. Many explorers took the bread with them during their expeditions. According to KitchenProject.com, a modern-day restaurant even paid $600.00 for an authentic Alaskan Sourdough recipe, as desired by the gold rush explorers many years ago. By the 2000s, sourdough had become a favorite for being a natural bread containing no preservatives.

Sourdough Starter

• The ancient Egyptians discovered wild yeast worked well as a sourdough starter as far back as 1500 B.C. It's similar to the living growth cultures that are key to making dairy products from milk, such as cheese and yogurt. Create your own by using 2 cups of puree from boiled potatoes. Add 2 cups of flour and 2 tbsp. of sugar. Leave in a warm place to start fermentation.

Name Origin

• Surprisingly, there is nothing sour about the taste of sourdough bread. The name was derived from the acids that build up during fermentation. When mixed with other ingredients, the sourdough tends to bring out other flavors that makes it unique from other breads.