---

The Magic Behind Our Sourdough Bread

So, what’s the big deal with sourdough? Well, unlike most breads you find in shops, sourdough doesn’t use that normal baker’s yeast. Instead, it uses a special mix of flour and water that’s been fermented – we call it a “starter.” This starter is what makes the bread rise, and it also gives it that unique tangy flavour and lovely chewy texture.

It’s actually quite fascinating because sourdough is like a teamwork effort between different types of yeast and bacteria. The regular bread you see in the supermarket is made with a specific type of yeast called saccharomyces cerevisiae. But our sourdough is different!

What Makes It So Special?

The whole process is called fermentation. This is where things get really cool. As the starter works its magic, it creates carbon dioxide (that’s what makes the bread nice and fluffy!) and also a bit of a vinegar-like byproduct. And that’s exactly what gives sourdough that sour taste we all love.

Our starter isn’t just a one-time thing; it’s a living, self-sustaining culture of flour, water, and wild yeasts and good bacteria. These bacteria are super beneficial for you, especially for your digestion. Think of it like eating yogurt – our sourdough bread also has lots of good, live bacteria that are harmless and often very helpful for your gut.

Our Sourdough Journey at CRUMBS THE BAKERS

You can make sourdough bread anywhere in the world, just with these natural, bacteria-created yeasts. Sometimes, naturally leavened bread isn’t even that sour; it can have a milder taste, depending on how long you ferment it. Here at Foodhorizon, we got really interested in the science behind sourdough. For us, it was all about going back to how bread has been made for thousands of years.

The starter is simple: just water and flour. But in that mix, you’re creating a perfect home for tiny microorganisms that are already in the air around us. We can take a small piece of our existing sourdough dough, mix it into a new batch, and voilà – the new dough starts rising! The bacteria and yeasts get to work, munching on the starch and producing gas, which makes the bread swell up. This fermentation process is not just about making bread rise; it actually makes the food more nutritious and easier for your body to digest.

We especially focus on the beneficial bacteria that are good for your gut. We’re super keen on a group called lactic acid bacteria, which are really important for lots of fermented foods like dahi (yogurt) and pickles. Fermented food basically means there’s been a lot of good microbial growth happening.

What’s different about the yeast in sourdough? It actually relies on a specific bacteria called Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis (yeah, a fancy name!) to consume the sugar. This bacteria then helps the yeast grow. This particular bacteria is only found in sourdoughs, nowhere else! And it’s this special bacteria that produces a lot of acetic acid (that’s the vinegar acid) which gives our sourdough that signature sour taste.