Over time, these organisms consume the natural sugars found in the flour, and the mixture must be fed periodically to prevent the organisms from exhausting its sugar supply.ĬLICK HERE FOR A BASIC LEVAIN (STARTER) RECIPE Which is why I refer to my starter as a 'levain.' Levain is the French term for a mixture of flour and water that has been colonized by yeasts and bacteria. While I won't go that far, I will say that this view of sourdough is incomplete. They have a wonderful flavor-much more complex than your average sandwich loaf-but they are not 'sour.' In fact, there are those who would argue that if your loaf of bread is sour, you're not doing it right.

The breads I now make with my 2-year-old sourdough starter are not very sour at all. However, sourdough can be a bit of a misnomer. This post is intended to dispel some of that.įirst off, 'sourdough' has become the accepted American term for breads made with a long-living 'starter.' The starter is added to bread doughs to raise them instead of using commercial yeast (active dry or instant yeast). Looking back, I can say that the most challenging aspect of sourdough is the misinformation and lore surrounding it. I pored over information about sourdough starters but always felt overwhelmed. Sourdough, however, seemed like a bread on a different plane. After a time, I graduated to focaccia, pita, ciabatta, and other rustic breads. My bread baking journey started with the recipe on the back of the King Arthur whole wheat flour bag.

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