Pro tip: I was reading a baking history book and found out commercial yeast is only about 150 years old

I picked up a book called 'The Story of Bread' from the library last month. It said before the 1860s, bakers relied on wild yeast or sourdough starters, and the first compressed commercial yeast cakes were sold in Vienna. That's a really short time in the grand scheme of baking. It made me appreciate my starter a lot more. How do you all feel about using wild starters versus modern yeast for your daily bakes?

3 comments

3 Comments

milaw142mo ago

Wow, that's actually wild to think about. I used to grab instant yeast packets without a second thought because it was just easier. But after keeping a starter alive for a few months now, the bread just tastes... deeper, I guess? Like my basic loaf has this tang that you just don't get from the commercial stuff. It feels more real, you know? Kind of cool to be doing it the old way.

logan_ellis2mo ago

Consider the weird fact you're keeping a tiny ecosystem alive on your counter. That jar of goop pulls wild yeast from your kitchen air, making bread that literally tastes like your house. A packet of instant yeast is the same everywhere, but your starter makes bread nobody else can copy. It turns baking from following a recipe into a small, daily habit with a living thing. Kind of humbling when you remember people did this to survive, not for fun weekend projects.

leeshah2mo ago

Totally get the deeper flavor thing (my starter's only a month old, but it's already a moody little roommate). I tried making a loaf with instant yeast last week after getting used to sourdough, and it tasted like sad, salty air. Felt like I betrayed my bubbly jar of goop.