The
making of sourdough bread may date
back as much as 6000 years, to when
the grain fermentation process was
first discovered. Although probably
originally an accident, grain fermentation
was first used to create alcoholic
beverages before eventually being
incorporated into bread recipes.
The first sourdough breads resulted
from yeasts that live naturally
on organic grains that were commonly
used for flour. When left to set
before baking, this caused the bread
to gain a naturally sour flavor,
and increased its ability to be
preserved. Although sourdough can
be started by simply allowing grain
to sit with yeast and water, there
are many other methods used commonly.
Because of the long history of
sourdough bread making, there are
thousands of recipes available for
a wide variety of flours and other
additives. Sourdough bread has also
been called ‘Chuck wagon’
bread, and gained popularity in
the United States during the San
Francisco and Alaskan gold rushes
of the late 19th century. For more
information about sourdough bread,
see the Web sites listed below.
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