1. What is Sourdough?
2. What causes Sour Dough Bread to rise?
3. Is there any yeast in Sour Dough Bread?

1. What is Sourdough?
Sourdough is a traditional way of making bread. It's origins are lost in antiquity but it is believed to have been discovered quite by accident. A baker from past times may have mistakenly left a small piece of dough aside while making unleavened bread. After a few days, it was found to have increased in size. Somehow it found its way into a oven and was later eaten. The lighter texture & flavour pleased the baker and was from then on developed, becoming the preferred method of making bread. The process is adhered to by us today, with the only difference being that the Sour, or fermented dough, is propagated separately then added to fresh ingredients to make the day's bread.

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2. What causes Sour Dough Bread to rise?
After a mixture of flour and water is made, various micro-organisms present in the air settle on & become mixed with the batter. These micro-organisms start to grow and in doing so produce carbon dioxide gas which causes the loaf to rise. The Sour starter is similar to the method you would use to make yoghurt or traditional ginger beer at home.

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3. Is there any yeast in Sour Dough Bread?
Because we use the traditional Sour, some wild yeasts become involved in the Sour ferment. This is impossible to avoid as wild yeasts are everpresent in the air. You in fact inhale wild yeasts as part of the air you breathe. These yeasts that are present in the unbaked dough are broken down & destroyed when baking takes place. As the heat of the oven destroys all micro-organisms the bread is free of living yeast when taken from the oven.

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