Before we discuss the benefits of sourdough, it seems sensible to take a little time to consider what sourdough is and what it is not. This will be a somewhat contentious topic, since without any regulated definition to guide us, the marketing cache of the name is allowing commercial producers to exploit the appeal of sourdough breads and pass off imitations of it for commercial gain.

Our “leaven from heaven” – in it’s prime of life!

A leaven is simply a combination of fermenting flour and water that causes a bread to rise by inflating it with naturally produced carbon dioxide, a by-product of a fermentation process. When baked, the trapped carbon dioxide expands further with the temperature, and as the bread firms-up, a light delicious crumb is produced.

Bread making is one of the worlds oldest crafts. It has independently originated in many ancient civilisations, in many geographies and has taken many forms, both leavened (fermented) and unleavened. Almost anywhere the seeds of grasses (grains) were harvested, the development of more digestible and palatable ways to eat these grains has led to flour and then to bread.

There is nothing like a slice of toasted fruit loaf with butter with your morning coffee. Our “bread whisperer” has been working hard to develop a fruit loaf like no other, pushing the boundaries of the volume of fruit incorporated into a well fermented sourdough. There are so many variables she said, from the hydration level, the careful proofing and shaping techniques to maintain loaf shape, and the right oven conditions.