The Art of Sourdough: From Starter to Loaf

Sourdough bread is having a moment, but the craft itself is ancient. At its core, sourdough is flour, water, salt, and time. No commercial yeast, no additives, no shortcuts.

We spent a week with master baker Tom Reeves at Stone Mill Bakehouse to understand the process, the science, and the quiet satisfaction of baking with wild yeast.

"A starter is a living thing," Tom says, feeding his 14-year-old culture at 5 AM. "It responds to temperature, humidity, the flour you feed it. You learn to read it like a gardener reads soil."

The process begins days before the bake. A healthy starter is fed and monitored until it doubles reliably. Then comes the autolyse: mixing flour and water and letting it rest for an hour to develop gluten naturally.

Bulk fermentation is where the magic happens. Over four to six hours, the dough is folded periodically, building strength while the wild yeast and bacteria do their work. The dough becomes airy, elastic, and fragrant.

Shaping is an art in itself. A well-shaped loaf holds its structure during the final proof and creates the dramatic "ear" when scored before baking.

The bake happens in a blazing hot oven, ideally in a Dutch oven to trap steam. The steam creates the blistered, crackling crust that defines great sourdough.

For beginners, Tom's advice is straightforward: "Start with a simple recipe and bake it twenty times before you change anything. You'll learn more from repetition than from reading."