FAQ

HOW DO I KEEP MY SOURDOUGH FRESH?

In the refrigerator sourdough might stale fast, so don’t store it there. Because it’s fermented, it won’t spoil/mold quickly and should keep for days at room temperature.
The crust likes to breathe and will stay crispy and happy in open air for 24-36 hours. Slice only as needed so the crust will keep the bread fresh. After cutting into it, keep it stored in a cotton tea towel, bread box, or the unsealed bag on the counter. If you store it in a baggie, leave it slightly open at one end.

Sourdough freezes very well. Wrap in plastic wrap and then a freezer baggie. Thaw at room temperature on a wire rack. It will be as fresh and soft as the day you froze it!

HOW CAN I FRESHEN DAYS-OLD/STALE SOURDOUGH BREAD?

  1. Begin by heating the oven to 300 degrees F
  2. Take your whole loaf or partial loaf and run it quickly under running water just to wet the outside.
  3. Place the loaf on a baking sheet and heat until it is dry and crusty on the outside — 6 to 10 minutes, depending on its size and wetness.

HOW TO ORDER?

Crumb of Nature Micro-bakery accepts pre-orders for most baked goods. 

On the order page you need to select a pickup day for items that require a lead time. Your order will be ready on the pickup day during operating hours.

Most bread loaves must be pre-ordered 2 days in advance (by 6PM).

 This way you will receive amazing fresh sourdough goods baked just for you.

WHY CAN'T I JUST ORDER ON THE DAY I WANT SOME BREAD (WHY DO I HAVE TO PRE-ORDER?)

While some stock of classic loaves is available daily, most specialty products are made to order.  This way we can offer wider variety of amazing baked goods, and you are assured to receive your favorite items.  Be sure to try them all.

WHY DOES THE PROCESS OF BAKING WITH SOURDOUGH TAKE SO LONG? 

The process of making sourdough bread takes anywhere from 3 to 5 days. It begins with feeding the wild yeast cultivated in the sourdough starter with flour and water over several days so that it's active and bubbly and ready to leaven the bread. Once the dough is mixed, it undergoes a long fermentation period followed by a longer refrigerated cold proofing stage.

HOW DO PICKUPS WORK?

On the appointed day of your pickup, your sourdough bread(s) & other goodies will be bagged and ready to pickup (see Pick-up Locations).  We will ask for the name to confirm your order and if needed the payment can be made at that time.

Orders must be picked up on the appointed day and time.

DO YOU DELIVER?

Delivery is not offered at this time.  Drop us a note if that is something you would be interested in.

DO YOU SHIP?

We are an ultra local Micro-bakery and at this time do not ship products.

DO YOU OFFER GLUTEN FREE SOURDOUGH?

Not at this time. If you are gluten sensitive, read, "Is Sourdough More Digestible Than Regular Bread?" below.

IS SOURDOUGH MORE DIGESTIBLE THAN REGULAR BREAD?

Fortunately, yes!
  Artisan sourdough made the time tested and authentic way is more digestible than mass-produced, highly processed breads.

Many individuals steer clear of bread due to bloating and gas. However, fermenting bread dough with beneficial bacteria and yeast can make the finished loaf more easily digestible, significantly improving digestive comfort.

  Highly processed commercial breads are almost given no time for any beneficial cultures to develop. The resulting bread usually has a soft and bland crumb that can feel like raw dough in your hand and stomach. Even “whole wheat” breads have undergo a similar industrial process, stripping out nutrients and resulting in a heavier and more indigestible product.  Further, the flours used are usually from grain milled with high-speed rollers and shipped to the bakeries when it’s still very unstable, so “conditioners” or “improvers”, emulsifiers, and often high quantities of fast-acting yeast or extra gluten have to be added.

  ​The flour used in our sourdough is organically grown and stone-ground.  It is pure, more nutritious and the fermentation process is long and slow. The lactic acid bacteria that grows during fermentation produces an enzyme called phytase, which ‘pre-digests’ the phytic acid in the wheat bran that can be responsible for bloating and gas, making the this type of bread easy to digest.  Phytic acid also inhibits enzymes that are needed to break down the proteins and starch in our stomachs, possibly resulting in digestive difficulties.  Breaking down the phytic acid also allows our bodies to absorb more nutrients.
  Finally, fermentation using natural yeasts and lactic acid bacteria results in bread that is digested more slowly and therefore causes less of a spike in blood sugar levels when eaten.
  If you struggle with bread indigestion or regulating blood sugars, consider trying authentic sourdough!