Sourdough vs Regular Dough

I'm sure there has been a point in most of our bread-purchasing lives that we've pondered: what is the difference between sourdough and the plain old regular stuff?

WELL.

Buckle up, because it's...

Not complicated at all, actually.

The beginning of a bread's existence usually starts with a big question: do we want to use commercial yeast, or wild cultures to create this bread? The yeast that you buy in the store (instant, fast acting, etc.) only contains one type of yeast - saccharomyces cerevisiae. This type of yeast is produced in a lab and is specifically cultivated for baking and brewing. It does not contain bacteria or wild yeast components, which also unfortunately means that you will not get the benefits and characteristics that said components bring to the bread party.

When we then look at sourdough, it is much more interesting and wild than the commercial stuff. And when I say wild, I mean it! Sourdough cultures contain natural bacteria and wild yeast and its use as a leavening agent dates back to ancient Egypt...

Nearly 6,000 years ago.

Here is a very interesting article from the BBC that dives into the history and origins of this tasty culture.

For further reading, I have a couple of different articles linked here below as well:

If you're looking for the basics, they are laid out in a very simple format in this piece here: Sourdough Fermentation vs. Commercial Yeast Fermentation: Which One Suits Your Loaf?

Another great resource on the difference between commercial yeast and sourdough cultures: Yeast vs. Sourdough (Understanding the Difference)

Thanks for coming to my bread talk! 😉

~ Krystal