On Aug 11, 2:06 pm, wrote:
> I am wondering what resources-books/websites-you'd recommend for a
> beginner. Something that educates me both about "how" to make
> sourdough, and also "why" I am making it like I am--both chemically,
> and historically.

Here are two web-sites that will get you started. You will find dough
calculators, starter and fermentation information, pictures... Mike's
site "sourdoughhome" has some excellent video on mixing and shaping
techniques. I highly recommend the stretch and fold technique, for
example, in lieu of machine kneading. But that technique is only one
of many nuggets in these two sites. Between them, you should be able
to get 95% of the info you seek. They are better than most of the
books out there.

http://samartha.net/SD/

http://www.sourdoughhome.com/index.html


> Also, I am confused about soured dough and yeast. Was soured dough
> originally a replacement for yeast, or were both used? Because in my
> recipe books I am surprised to see that the recipes call for both
> soured dough and yeast. Is this always the case?

Sourdough starter and grocery store yeast are both dough leavens.
Sourdough is ancient. The commercial yeast has been popular for less
than a hundred years. Many bakeries make breads using both.

In my opinion, sourdough starter produces the best flavor... but
that's not because sourdough is inherently better as a leavener. And
it is also not true that the bread will be sour. The fermentation is
slower though and as in cheese making, or wine making, slower
production processes tend to develop more complex flavors.

There is a book called "The Bread Builders" that has an excellent
discussion on the chemistry of fermentation. You can probably find it
at your library (or Google it). It also has information on oven
building... which might not be directly applicable to your interest
but will give good insight on the "tradition" of bread making. Bread
is a curious window, as it were, on technology and culture.