California Sourdough Bread

California Sourdough Bread is the wild-yeast loaf that grew out of the California Gold Rush and crystallized into an icon in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is distinguished from generic sourdough by the use of a native wild starter (the so-called Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, along with wild yeasts that colonize the cool, foggy coastal air) and by a longer, cooler fermentation that yields a loaf with a thick, deeply caramelized crust, an open irregular crumb, and a tangy, slightly malolactic flavor profile.

Modern California sourdough is built on a starter maintained daily with flour and water, often handed down through generations of bakers or families. The dough is mixed, rested in bulk, shaped into rounds or batards, retarded overnight, and baked at very high heat — usually on a stone or in a Dutch oven — to drive the crust color and crackling crumb structure. Commercial landmarks include Boudin Bakery (founded 1849 in San Francisco), Tartine Bakery, and Acme Bread, all of which produce daily loaves using long-fermentation wild yeast.

Eat it at the source: Boudin's flagship on Fisherman's Wharf, Tartine in San Francisco's Mission District, and Acme's Ferry Building stand are essential stops. Throughout Northern California, slice it thick, serve with cultured butter, local cheese (Cypress Grove, Cowgirl Creamery), smoked salmon, or a bowl of San Francisco cioppino. Beyond the Bay Area, California sourdough is sold at farmers' markets, Whole Foods, and bakeries across the state, and has spread to the rest of the country as a symbol of the artisan bread movement.