Garum
Ingredientintermediatedraft

Sourdough

Also searched as: starter, levain, sourdough starter, mother dough

In short: Sourdough is a culture of wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. It makes bread rise and gives it acidity and depth.

Picture it

Like a little garden in a jar that you feed regularly.

What Sourdough does
ROLEPROCESSmakes the dough risesours and adds flavourkeeps bread freshlongerYeast fermentationLactic acidfermentationFresh for longer

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What happens

Flour and water, fed regularly, are colonised by yeasts and bacteria from the flour and the surroundings. An active sourdough bubbles, smells pleasantly sour and grows clearly after feeding.

What the ingredient does

makes the dough riseYeast fermentation
sours and adds flavourLactic acid fermentation
keeps bread fresh longerFresh for longer

Rules of thumb

  1. Use it when it is at its highest after feeding.
  2. Keep it in the fridge and refresh it before baking.
Related entries
Lactic acid fermentationYeast fermentationFresh for longerStarting a sourdough
Sources · 1
  • Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Brot, Getreide