Minnesota’s New Craze: Making Sourdough Bread

There’s a trend that has been going on for a while now, that has landed in my house. Sourdough Bread Making.  

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Back during the pandemic, people who were staying home more got into bread making because they had time on their hands, then it became about saving money.  

There was a shortage of yeast during that time that afflicted most stores in the country, so people started making their own sourdough bread because it makes its own yeast from a “starter” of water and flour.  

Sourdough Bread is popular because it is said to be easier to digest for some people than white bread. The sourdough bread becomes a prebiotic, meaning it engages the good bacteria in your intestines leading to your digestive system being more stable.  

My wife met one of my co-workers' fiancé recently at a company event and she learned his fiancé makes her own sourdough bread. My wife’s doctor told her sourdough would be beneficial to her.  

My wife got a starter and then has purchased her own materials as she works to get into this more. There are what seems to be countless videos I hear my wife watching on Tic Tok, YouTube and Facebook (among other sites) where those who are making sourdough chronicle their efforts and share secrets and tips they’ve learned along the way.  

One of the major keys seems to be feeding the starter with the right mixture of water and flour at the right time. There can be some trial and error with this process unless you have a good mentor to help you work through the process. 

A recent question on the St. Cloud Community Facebook page asked if anyone sold homemade bread. There were over 40 responses including people who were offering to share a starter with this person, to others who offered names on shops where they could buy bread, like Backwards Bread Company, Flour and Flower, Crumb & Co. Market, Dough C Dough, Sourdough Cottage Bakery, and Arisen Bread Co. among others.  

One thing I noticed is that many people offer different flavors of bread which include seeds, dried fruits, chocolate, garlic, cheese, jalapenos and many more.  

If you’re just looking for something to do in your spare time, you’re trying to save money, or you need a bread that digests better, sourdough bread seems to be a good option to check out and maybe being able to make your own is something that will interest you.