by Alex Wyn Bradley
The recent bread exposé in The Telegraph, with its on-trend title ‘Great British Fake Off’, got us, over in CraftCourses HQ, thinking about the true art of bread making.
As the report explains, 4 out of 5 loaves sold as ‘sourdough’ in our supermarkets simply aren’t, by which we mean that they do not contain the correct ingredients to be classified as true sourdough bread. Many even included added yeast in the ingredients list – something that sourdough prides itself on NOT containing. Cue Outrage!
So why are the supermarkets ‘faking it’? Probably because Sourdough, and artisanal breads, are increasingly popular as they taste and smell fantastic, but take a longer time to leaven – not very mass market friendly! So the demand is there, but evidently not the skill and patience needed to make the loveliest loaf.
Quite simply: not all bread is created equal. Artisan bread is given more time and love, and the proof is in the Pavé (sorry!) as breads made using traditional methods boast robust flavour and texture, plus they are even easier to digest (all that natural fermentation)!
But this quality is seemingly no longer a feature in homes across the country as local bakery loaves are replaced with mass, and fast, produced breads. So is this heritage craft in danger of becoming endangered?
We certainly hope not, and our wealth of breadmaking tutors give us some encouragement. If you are not yet a bread maker or want to learn to hone your existing skills take a look at these inspiring workshops and help us ‘Save the Sourdough’!
*Photo credits: The Artisan Bakery School
If you enjoyed reading this, you may like to read: Spring Forage: A guided wild food walk in West Wales
