the magic of sourdough
Sourdough is an alchemical process that transforms the powdery substance we know as flour into a complete nutritional food. This slow, natural process allows the gluten to be more easily digested and also makes the nutrients more bioavailable, meaning your body can readily absorb them. All seeds, grains included, contain a naturally occuring "anti-nutrient" that prevents the full mineral content of these seeds from being absorbed
When combined with whole grains, sourdough literally comes alive with flavor and nutrients!
We've compiled some sources so you can read more about these processes and their importance to our baking:
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"Why Whole Wheat is Better than White"- The Atlantic
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"Does Sourdough Have Probiotics?" - Bustle
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Scientific article on bioavailability and sourdough
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Baking for Biodiversity by Katie Gourley - a thorough zine that explains the link between a healthy ecosystem and a diverse grainshed
make your own
Making sourdough bread at home is easy, fun and educational! You can make a sourdough starter with nothing other than flour, water and the bacteria and yeast that live around us.
Here are some good sources to get started:
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The Bread Lab - a guide to creating your own starter as well as some sourdough recipes
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The Perfect Loaf - comprehensive guides for feeding your starter, your first loaf and shaping
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1000 Bites of Bread - a valuable resource for finding mills and bakeries
If you would ever like a little piece of our starter, please just ask! We are happy to spread the wealth.
Also, please check out our Community page to learn more about the happenings within the whole grain baking community in Portland, OR!
