It’s been nearly five years since I took up sourdough bread baking for the first time during the lockdown. Since then, I’ve moved twice, and my starter didn’t make it (rather, I was too stressed to handle another “pet” that I had to feed). But now, I’m in a much more stable place in life, and I’m beginning the journey again with a bit of starter I adopted from a friend.
This story is likely common, given the prevalence of at-home sourdough bread baking during the throes of the pandemic. Various social media influencers have kept the activity alive in the cultural zeitgeist in recent years, and others have taken to it again as a way to bring back that semblance of peace they once sought.
Photo Courtesy Of Sweet Thyme Breads & Treats
“It's the only LIVING THING in a kitchen, which is kind of fun . ”
Sourdough is a naturally leavened bread made from a bacterial culture of flour and salt. Instead of using a commercial yeast to rise, it ferments all on its own, giving it a richer flavor and a healthier affect due to prebiotics (and the absence of preservatives generally found in store-bought bread). Sourdough starter is the basis of all of this bread and can be used in a range of products—standard loaves, baguettes, focaccia, even pain au chocolat.
Photo Courtesy Of Sweet Thyme Breads & Treats
“It’s the only living thing in a kitchen, which is kind of fun,” says Rufus Deakin, who runs the kitchen at Pequea-based tubing, restaurant and bar joint Sickman’s Mill—known for their sourdough pizza—and formerly made a living slinging sourdough when he lived in Spain (he also co-owns West Art Community Center in Lancaster). “I like the fact that it changes all the time. You can teach people how to bake it, but it changes every day depending on the temperature, humidity, the dough itself. The more you do it, the better you get.”
For beginners looking for a place to start, consider one of the area’s top sourdough seminars, with hands-on instruction from experienced bakers. And for those with more of a DIY mindset like myself, stay tuned for tips from a range of experts looking to spread the good word of sourdough.
Photo by Adobe Stock | Fascinadora
LEARNING from THE EXPERTS:
Becky McCulloch owns Sweet Thyme Breads & Treats, a micro-bakery in Adams County. Sweet Thyme specializes in sourdough, artisan breads and seasonal fruit desserts, and focuses on locally sourced, high-quality ingredients and organic options.
Photo by Adobe Stock | Valentinvalkov
CLASSES
1. Becky McCulloch of Sweet Thyme Breads & Treats
McCulloch teaches a few different types of sourdough classes: sourdough starters, folding techniques and flour education. “We believe in teaching sustainable skills so that people are able to be self-reliant,” she says.
WHERE & WHEN
Current classes can be found at Hollabaugh Bros. in Biglerville, Crossing Creek and Co. in Dillsburg, Paramount Senior Living in Chambersburg, and The Vineyard & Brewery at Hershey. McCulloch is also opening a store - front in Fort Ritchie in Cascade, Maryland, and will also be hosting classes there. Dates and costs vary, but you can follow Sweet Thyme Breads & Treats on Facebook and Instagram for updates, and check out each location for event calendars.
EXPERT TIP
“Get a hands-on tutorial, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Sourdough is more of a method, so don’t be intimidated if it’s not exact. Most importantly, keep at it.” — Becky McCulloch
LEARNING from THE EXPERTS:
Photos Courtesy Of Vituperio Bread Baking Studio
Photos Courtesy Of Vituperio Bread Baking Studio
CLASSES
2. Javiera Montoya of Vituperio Bread Baking Studio
Javiera Montoya is originally from Santiago, Chile, but moved to Pennsylvania in 2017. She’s a professional bread baker graduate of New York’s French Culinary Institute and is now a part of The Institute of Culinary Education. She’s also the head baker at Vituperio Bread Baking Studio, where she teaches a range of skills, including sourdough bread baking.
Photo by Adobe Stock | Valentinvalkov
Montoya offers online and in-person classes to accommodate different needs. The classes are hands-on and focus on understanding the process of sourdough bread baking. This includes learning what a starter is, how to maintain it and how to use it. In-person class attendees make a basic sourdough loaf together in addition to going over how to make healthy sourdough bread even on a busy schedule.
WHERE & WHEN
Pre-recorded virtual classes are available on demand. In-person classes are generally offered a couple of times per month at the studio in Lansdale. Stay tuned for more options, including live virtual lessons, at vituperio.com.
EXPERT TIP
“Bread is such a staple food that has unfortunately been stripped from its nutritional value due to the food industry. By making it at home, you will be able to enjoy bread again.” — Javiera Montoya
LEARNING from THE EXPERTS:
Photos Courtesy Of Ret Beiler
CLASSES
3. Ret Beiler teaches the art of bread baking in her home
Ret Beiler invites students into her own home to learn all about sourdough bread baking. I had the pleasure of visiting her modern farmhouse abode and seeing where she makes it all happen, including raising a host of kids and animals (though, with the peaceful atmosphere, you’d almost never guess all that she’s able to accomplish).
“With only three hours, I like to pack as much information into a class as I can,” says Beiler, who says 8-10 people is perfect for her sourdough classes. They mix dough, talk through the steps and—during the hands-off times when dough is resting—discuss recipes and get to know each other. She also offers charcuterie and her homemade water kefir, a fruity fermented beverage akin to a mild kombucha. Even though guests bring their dough home to finish, with a bread banneton (aka basket), lame (knife for scoring dough) and even their own starter, Beiler says, “I want to make sure they actually see and experience every step from start to finish.”
WHERE & WHEN
Beiler generally hosts classes a couple of times per month at her house in Lancaster (attendees receive the address after signing up). Find out more at airbnb.com/users/show/98141075.
EXPERT TIP
“Don’t start it when you’re in a season of grieving or having a new baby or being sick. Make sure you have a week or two where—it doesn’t have to be the only thing you do, but you have to create a little bit of space to make a few loaves in a week. And make sure you have the steps down pat so that it becomes a no-brainer that you add to your life.” — Ret Beiler
“Particularly in the United States, where they like to f*** WITH THE foOd, you should really be using organic flours.”
Photo by Adobe Stock | Надія Коваль
WANT TO dIy?
More tips from the experts
“The most important part is the fermentation process,” Deakin says. “You need to control the temperature, the environment. It’s about creating a strong gluten structure. It’s a bit like a jack-in-the-box in a way. You want to retain some spring in the dough before it hits the oven.”
Flour quality matters, too. “The flour is where a portion of your flavor is going to come from,” Deakin says. “Particularly in the United States, where they like to f*** with the food, you should really be using organic flours. That might sound a bit wanky, but it really does make a difference.”
Brian Hernon, expert sourdough bread maker behind Slow Rise Bakery in Lancaster, uses a sourdough starter that’s 20 years old. “I always think it’s not about baking bread,” he says. “What you’re really doing when you say you want to make a sourdough is you want to maintain a starter.” Hernon says maintaining a starter does require a certain level of discipline, but it doesn’t have to be all-consuming. You can, for example, refrigerate (and even freeze) your starter, and bringing it back to life by feeding it after it has been in a cold rest actually builds its strength.
Personally, I have used guidance from the book “Tartine Bread” and a whole slew of YouTube videos—there’s truly no shortage of techniques to try and fermentation schedules to fit into your lifestyle.
While I’m no expert (yet), I can say with confidence that three loaves into my most recent sourdough endeavor, things are moving in the right direction. I’m starting to get a fluffier, livelier loaf with each attempt, and I look forward each time to cutting it in half to see just what lies within. Even when it’s not perfect, a fresh loaf with soft butter and flaky sea salt really hits the spot.
