The Original San Francisco Culture ($14.00)
In 1997 the authors of the Technical Bulletin published by the Research Department of the American Institute of Baking declared, "The authentic natural sourdough process remains one of the best breads produced anywhere in the world. In the United States, and even in areas around the world, San Francisco sourdough is still regarded as the benchmark by which all other sourdough breads are judged." What makes this bread so exceptional?

Two researchers asked themselves that same question. They published their results in 1970 and solved a mystery that has plagued bakers for well over 100 years. For the first time they identified a wild yeast and a lactobacillus responsible for the leavening and flavor of that famous bread. They developed methods that permit commercial bakers to duplicate the process everywhere.

Until now the components of that culture have been unavailable to home bakers. We now offer the Original San Francisco culture and guarantee that the dominant organisms are those discovered by the California scientists. They classified the wild yeast as a strain of Saccharomyces exiguous called Torulopsis holmii. It was reclassified as Candida milleri and has again been reclassified as Candida humilis. The lactobacillus is Lactobacillus sanfrancisco. The two organisms thrive in a symbiotic relationship that has protected the culture from contamination from other yeasts and bacteria for well over a century of baking. It is that symbiosis that, contrary to widespread mythology, will prevent contamination from organisms in your environment. They also found that "it seems apparent that this system would not work if baker's yeast were teamed with the sour dough bacteria.".

Now you can produce authentic San Francisco sourdough in your kitchen, both by hand and in home baking machines. Included with our culture is an instruction booklet.