This weekend I'm baking the City Loaf from Richard Hart that's featured in his book, "Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking." I've been intrigued by his concept of using a Freshly Fed Starter rather than one that is at peak activity. So I'm going to give it a try. I'll refresh my normal starter this evening at 1:5:5 and let it ferment overnight for 12 hours (Hart refers to this as a 12-Hour Starter). In the morning I'll use that to create a levain at the same time I start the autolyse for my dough. After only 45 minutes, I'll add the levain, remaining water, and salt to the dough. Throughout the whole process the aim is to keep the dough close to 90 F. I'll try to document everything as best I can so you can see where I succeed or fail in attempting this! Here's a brief bio of Hart: Richard Hart is a world-renowned baker celebrated for his mastery of naturally leavened bread. After establishing his reputation as the head baker at San Francisco’s iconic Tartine Bakery, he moved to Copenhagen to co-found the acclaimed Hart Bageri with Noma's René Redzepi. Now based in Mexico City with his venture, Green Rhino, Hart is known for his "intuitive" approach to baking, prioritizing tactile experience and sensory intuition over rigid formulas. He is the author of the 2025 James Beard Award-winning book, Richard Hart Bread: Intuitive Sourdough Baking. Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Here's the formula and baking guide for the Bayerisches Landbrot, or Bavarian country bread. We're heading south to Bayern (Bavaria) after our stop up north near Hamburg for Driekornbrot. Bayerisches Landbrot is the ultimate everyday sourdough of Southern Germany, bridging the gap between light wheat loaves and heavy northern ryes. Traditionally naturally leavened, this rustic staple often blends a strong wheat majority with a sturdy backbone of rye to create a deeply aromatic, moist, and elastic crumb. Its defining regional signature is the inclusion of ground caraway—finely milled directly into the dough so its warming, earthy oils permeate the entire loaf while acting as a natural digestive aid. One of the things that makes this different is the high percentage of pre-fermented flour (all rye) which is 3X a more typical amount used with wheat. You should notice that bulk fermentation and the second proof move significantly faster than you're probably used to. So keep your eye on this one! I love the flavor of the ground caraway and prefer it to using whole caraway seed in the dough. Even if you're not a fan, you should try it some time!

A new month-long masterclass begins in April, and all are invited to participate! The theme is Bake Like A Boulanger: Naturally Leavened Bread in the French Tradition. This is structured to be accessible to any sourdough baker. You decide how much or little to participate. Check out the attached PDF and watch for more details soon! ➡️ Who Is This For? Anyone! We will spend the month of April exploring traditional French bread baking in a way that will help you become a better baker or even just more informed about how these traditions still resonate through modern bread culture. So whether you choose to bake alongside us or simply learn something new, this Masterclass is for you! ➡️ What Should I Expect? Daily posts highlighting a French baking term or technique designed to build your insights in quick, 30-second bites. Weekly bread formulas from the French Tradition redesigned for the home baker using easy-to-find ingredients. Recurring live calls, videos, and chat to support you on your “Baking Tour de France.” Best of all, this Masterclass is free to everyone! ➡️ How Can I Participate? If you’re not yet part of the Sourdough Improvement Skool community, join for free! Beginning in April, locate the Bake Like A Boulanger course in the classroom to find everything you need to get started. ➡️ Week of April 5. Introduction to the French baking tradition. Bread of the week: traditional Pain au Levain (Classic French country bread) ➡️ Week of April 12. Traditional French grains and flour. Bread of the week: Pain de Campagne (Rustic bread with white, whole wheat and rye flour) ➡️ Week of April 19. The French village bakery. Bread of the week: Miche (Nourishing large boule with 50% whole wheat flour) ➡️ Week of April 26. The lasting legacy of French baking. Bread of the week: Pain aux Noisettes et Figues (Country bread with hazelnuts and figs)