Introductory Hands-On Class
Everything you need to make great sourdough bread at home
Dip your toe into basic sourdough bread making with this fun, easy, low-key 2-hour hands-on introductory class designed to set you up with everything you need to make great loaves at home.
This isn't a class for Michelin-star chefs, influencers, Tiktokkers, snobs or trendsetters. Just a fun, down-to-earth intro for folks who want to get started on delicious, healthy, and affordable sourdough bread making.
We're going to keep it real with freshly milled, WA-grown grains and will use tools you probably already have (or can easily get). We'll go through the whole process, start to finish, so you can see and try out every step along the way: no magic, no mystery! We'll wrap up by baking a few loaves in cast iron Dutch ovens to get a fabulous, crispy crunchy crust.
It's a friendly, inclusive, non-judgmental, and intimate setting in my personal, not-enormous & not-fancy kitchen. We're maxed out at 5-persons per class so we all have room to work. Coffee and tea are on the house! (beer/wine version of the class available for small groups upon request). No pets, please, but it is a kid-friendly curriculum so register your kiddos, too (mom or dad, you must be present).
What we'll cover
- Cultivating & maintaining your starter
- Choosing flours
- Mixing, folding, stretching, and shaping your dough by hand
- Baking in your regular kitchen oven with a cast iron dutch oven
- Add-ins like seeds, alternate grains, and even kitchen leftovers
- Troubleshooting
What you'll leave with
- Knowledge & power!
- A reliable 3-ingredient recipe you can adapt and build upon
- A jar of live, healthy, active starter
- An unbaked loaf (in a banneton basket) to take home to bake in your own oven
- A link to a shopping list for good-value essential tools in case you don't already have them
"Thank you again for the FABULOUS class! Really enjoyed it, learned a lot, loved the format (with you having prepped all the different stages – it really was just like on TV 😊) and I loved the bread that baked off that evening!
ANTJE H., SOUTH SEATTLE GRADUATE
NO PANDEMIC-ERA FAD BREAD HERE!
Sourdough bread for real-life
We're going to be using a simple and reliable three-step, three-ingredient recipe that is hearty, delicious, and ready for customization once you get the hang of things. And, each step in the process only requires a few minutes of attention, so it's not a burdensome, long and drawn-out process.
Things got a little out of hand during the pandemic, with social media influencers turning this age-old craft into a trendy showboat of aesthetics over substance. We are going nowhere near that... we're sticking to the basics that our ancestors have used for thousands of years to create nutritious and tasty food your family will love.
Oh, and by the way, your house is going to smell great with all that fresh bread in the oven!
"Made my first loaf and it turned out pretty good. So glad I took the class!
CHRIS R., SOUTH SEATTLE GRADUATE
YOUR BREAD-MAKING COACH
A no-nonsense approach to baking from a busy single dad
I started baking almost 10 years ago when my kiddo was a baby... but without any real training or guidance, I ended up producing a lot of bricks and inedible globs. With some patience and persistence, a lot of experimentation (and more than a little guidance from renowned baker Josey Baker in San Francisco) I've come close to perfecting a no-hassle recipe you're sure to love. I even have a few tricks to turn those "failed" loaves into something delicious!
If you have avoided learning how to bake sourdough because it has seemed inaccessible, mysterious, or it just feels like it's too hard to follow a strict recipe... I have good news for you. You can do it! Come join one of my classes and I'll help you get there. If I can do it with one arm holding a newborn, you can do it too!
"Michael's bread is delicious!💗💗💗
REILLEY S., SOUTH SEATTLE STROLLER BRIGADE