Lesson 2: History

http://vimeo.com/106835474

View Video in Theater Mode
(computers only)

Sourdough foods are nothing new… they have over 3,500 years of recorded history.

Sourdough bread making has been around for thousands of years and it has been traced back to ancient Egypt, around 1500 BC. Hieroglyphics found in Ramsey’s the 2nd tomb depicted sourdough bread making. Sourdough is likely to be the first form of leavening available to bakers.

Sourdough made its way across the Atlantic to the New World and became a widely used leavening agent, making its mark in history during the California gold rush where it was the primary bread made in Northern California at this time.

Sourdough was very popular with the gold rush prospectors who found it to be very user friendly. Making these sourdough breads at the camp site was a way to gain some feelings of comfort when away from home.

Many cultures have eaten sourdough foods as part of their daily life.

English called it leaven or “old dough” which was their common rising agent.
French picked it up and termed this bread Levain – which is a dough raised with wild yeast.
German’s are famous for their traditional Pumpernickel bread made with sourdough starter.

Boudin’s sourdough is what made San Farancisco sourdough bread popular to many. They are still in business making sourdough breads with the same process that made then famous since 1849, when they crossed traditional French bread with sourdough.

Till the late 1950’s most bread made and sold used a sourdough type process.

Key benefits of sourdough foods: