This freeze-dried sourdough starter is made from the same starter we have been using at Sunrise Flour Mill for the past six years. Now, using freeze-dried technology, we are able to mail samples of this starter nationwide to help people start baking their own delicious and nutritious sourdough bread!
About THIS sourdough starter:
Like the well-known San Francisco Sourdough, every sourdough starter has a story, lore, or mythology about its origin. This sourdough strain originally came from Italy. It was brought to us by a friend who came across it while traveling in Bolivia. Her Italian friend in Bolivia told her the starter had been maintained for over 100 years and had some very unique characteristics.
Our friend shared some with us and insisted this was a special starter. We quickly discovered it was indeed special, and the rest is history!
A Few Notes About Sourdough:
1. Sourdough starters are all different, and not all sourdough starters are sour. This particular starter is not very sour. This becomes a personal preference. If you want a more sour starter, you can develop one by waiting a longer amount of time between feedings. Also, longer fermentation of your finished dough in bulk or in bannetons in the refrigerator will add to the sourness.
2. To make and maintain a sourdough culture you must use flour that has not had all the life processed out of it. For best success, use a “living” flour, like any of the flours we sell at sunriseflourmill.com.
3. There is growing scientific data that shows that sourdough bread made with heritage wheat is more digestible than factory bread made with modern wheat.
4. The long, slow fermentation that produces sourdough bread creates important nutrients such as iron, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants, folate, and other B vitamins. These become easier for the body to absorb. Sourdough bread improves the overall nutritional profile of flour and enables maximum nutritional benefits from baked goods. It inhibits the growth of bad bacteria and improves the bread's flavor, smell, and structure.
