When is National Sourdough Bread Day?
Saturday April 1stOn April 1st, the world's oldest leavened breads is recognized as one of the world's oldest leavened breads.
The dough is made during the process of long fermentation using lactobacilli and yeasts. The bread will be slightly sour, but not pleasant tasting, due to the use of naturally occurring yeasts and friendly bacteria over cultivated yeast.
Sourdough is thought to have appeared in Ancient Egyptian times about 1500 BC, and it is most likely the first form of leavening available to bakers. It was also the traditional form of leavening during the European Middle Ages..
Sourdough bread was the main bread made in Northern California during the California Gold Rush, and it is now a part of San Francisco's culture. The bread was so common at the time that the word "sourdough" became a nickname for gold prospectors. A "sourdough" in the Yukon and Alaska is also a term used to describe someone who has spent a complete winter north of the Arctic Circle. They are referring to their custom of shielding their sourdough during the coldest months by holding it close to their body. Following the Klondike Gold Rush, the sourdough tradition was also carried into Alaska and western Canadian territories.
The San Francisco sourdough bread is the most popular sourdough bread made in the United States today. In comparison to sourdough production in other areas of the country, the San Francisco variety has remained in continuous production since 1849, with some bakeries able to trace their starters back to California's Gold Rush period. Many restaurant chains keep it as a menu staple. With your morning cereal, Sourdough bread is a delicious alternative to your soup, stew, or toast.
