Sourdough FAQs

Here are my answers to some frequently asked questions I’ve gotten at markets this year:

What is sourdough?

Sourdough bread is a method more than a specific item. It involves using a sourdough starter to ferment dough over a longer period of time, adding a sour flavor. Sourdough has been made for thousands of years all over the world.

What is a sourdough starter?

Sourdough starter is a live culture of wild yeast and bacteria, mostly lactobacilli. The yeast (a fungus) makes bread rise by digesting wheat proteins to create carbon dioxide, and the lactobacilli create lactic and acetic acids, which give the bread a tangy or sour taste.

Does sourdough contain gluten?

Short answer: yes. Longer answer: yes, but the gluten is easier to digest because of the long fermentation period. All of my bread is fermented at room temperature for 8-12 hours, and cookies ferment in the fridge for 2 days. People who are sensitive to gluten (but not allergic or celiac!) tell me they can still have my bread without any discomfort.

What’s the deal with sourdough cookies?

They’re delicious! With sourdough starter added to the dough, my cookies are less sweet than you may be used to, and super chocolatey and chewy. They don’t taste sour, I promise!

How do I get started on my own sourdough journey?

Buy or make a sourdough starter! I don’t sell mine, but other bakers do, and some bakeries will even give you a small jar for free. There’s a lot of information on the internet, so be mindful of the internet’s tendency to overcomplicate things! Here are some books I recommend for making a starter and baking bread for the first time:

Breadsong: How Baking Changed our Lives by Kitty Tait and Al Tait

Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking by Richard Hart

Flour Power by Tara Jensen

I’m having problems with my sourdough! What do I do?

Contact me! Call or text (719) 301-9205 or email rusticpeaksourdough@gmail.com

I’m always open to helping bakers get better. I started baking sourdough bread in 2020 when everyone else was doing it, but the internet is a very different place now. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by too much conflicting advice. As a self-taught baker, I know how much is out there and have learned to distinguish between truth and opinion (and there are sooo many people out there treating their opinions as hard truth). So, let me help you! Let’s grow together.

-Lidia