Sourdough Culture: A History of Bread Making from Ancient to Modern Bakers

Although this book has a few recipes, it is not a cookbook; it is a deliciously written object history of bread. The author weaves two histories together: One, the story of his personal sourdough starter, which came to him ostensibly and ultimately from a gold miner during the Cripple Creek, Colorado, Goldrush; the other, the story of bread-making from its earliest beginnings to how it may have been led to that starter in Cripple Creek. As he follows the threads backward and forward, he leads you around the globe and in and out of his own kitchen, all with a sense of wonder and growing appreciation for bread and especially for sourdough. Recent, renewed interest in making delicious bread from sourdough raises the question – why did sourdough fall out of favor, and when? You’ll be surprised at the answers, and you’ll find out a lot about grains and flours, baking techniques, and even a little chemistry along the way. Bread has been the staff of life for endless ages, and continues to nourish our bodies and our souls; a freshly-made loaf is one of life’s great pleasures. Reading this book is another.