talkin' sourdough: taste testing 3 Flour Sourdough (aka The Sour One)

We've been diving deep into the sourdough around here... so many nuances of flavor, texture, crust and crumb. This morning I toasted, buttered, and thoughtfully savored four pieces of our '3 Flour Sourdough' loaf. Yes, I was hungry, but I also wanted to experience it as a 'new -to-our-breads' eater might do, and to nail down some adjectives to describe it.

Here's what I might say:

...at first bite, it doesn't seem sour at all. I noticed a distinct, pleasant, fulfilling flavor that was satisfying. (I believe that the small amount of Whole Rye flour in the mix plays a significant part in the fullness of flavor)

And then the sour appeared. This is a sneaky sourdough that creeps up on you after the second bite, then persists as a tang at the back of your tongue. It lays a sour base that supports the wheat/rye, butter and salt flavors as they come and go.

During bread training we were taught to NEVER taste-sample breads with butter as butter masks the true flavor of bread. But in this case, the butter complemented the sour and highlighted the salt in the bread.

Four pieces of toast later, my tongue was still tingling and I had a few succinct adjectives:

Tangy

Light

Lingering

Medium- rare

Now I am inspired to host a Sour Tasting--- much like a wine tasting. Sourdoughs--and all breads, really-- are a vast tribe of very different creatures. No two sourdoughs are alike. An Alaskan sourdough and a French sourdough are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

If you would be interested in planning, hosting, baking, tasting or simply attending a sourdough tasting event please let me know, I think it should become a reality! soon!