OUR SOURDOUGH STORY
Our sourdough story began in early January 2021. We had been open for a little over a month and had a lot of requests for bread. On the hunt for a bread supplier, we wanted bread that was fresh, tasty, and truly artisan. It quickly became apparent that we couldn’t find a bread that matched our mission of providing top-quality produce; the idea of mass produced simply wouldn’t cut it!
At the same time, we were looking for an alternative to regular bread for our family. Knowing the health benefits of sourdough, Paul decided to turn his hand to the process of making his own. Already proficient at making bread with packaged dried yeast, sourdough couldn’t be too hard to master, could it? Like most people starting out, professional chef or not, there was a period of trial and error before the perfect first loaf was finally produced. It was a triumph! A slightly sour tasting flavour, yet deliciously fresh and light with a wonderful crisp crust.
The next step was to test the sourdough out on our customers. We had a great response and have been developing our own process (using the same starter) of making and baking fresh sourdough daily ever since.
All our sourdough is leavened and freshly baked here at Apron Strings and is available to pre-order.
What is sourdough?
Sourdough bread is made using a ‘starter’ (a mix of good bacteria and wild yeast) instead of packet yeast found in our conventional bread. The raising process is natural and takes at least 24 hours.
Why choose sourdough?
Sourdough is a healthier option to commercial bread and is said to be good for the gut and easier to digest. There is something special about the process of making sourdough, apart from it being quite cathartic, it uses some of the oldest processes of producing and providing for a community.
A labour of love:
Making sourdough is certainly not an easy option, as it takes time, dedication, care, and attention, but quality cannot be rushed! Paul may have to care and feed his ‘starter’ like one of his children, but the pleasure of seeing our customers being able to buy fresh bread daily, on their doorstep, far outweighs any negatives.
Learn to make your own sourdough:
If you would like to make your own sourdough, you can book a lesson or workshop and we will guide you through the stages.
WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS THINK: