How we make our sourdough, start to finish

Every loaf we sell starts thirty hours before you see it. It's slow on purpose: the long rest is what gives sourdough its open crumb, its tang and that crust that crackles when it cools on the rack.

Our starter, Doris, came with Maya from her grandmother's kitchen. She lives in a jar on the top shelf, gets fed twice a day, and has outlasted two ovens.

The timeline

1. Day one, 8amFeed Doris and wait for her to double, around four hours.
2. Day one, noonMix flour and water and leave it to rest for an hour. Bakers call this the autolyse.
3. Day one, 1pm to 5pmAdd the starter and salt, then stretch and fold every half hour.
4. Day one, 6pmShape the loaves and tuck them into the fridge overnight.
5. Day two, 5amScore and bake hot, with steam for the first twenty minutes.

The fridge does the real work. We just get out of its way.

Don't have a starter? Ask at the counter. We'll give you a little jar of Doris for free, with feeding instructions written on the lid.