Every loaf I bake starts with the same ingredient.
Her name is Betty White.
No, not the Betty White. Although if there were ever a celebrity worthy of having a sourdough starter named after her, I think she’d approve.
Betty White is my sourdough starter. She’s the living culture that gives my bread its rise, its flavor, and its personality. Without her, Seaside Sourdough simply wouldn’t exist.
So, what is a sourdough starter?
A sourdough starter is just flour and water that has been cultivated over time to grow wild yeast and beneficial bacteria. Those naturally occurring microorganisms become the leavening for the bread instead of commercial yeast.
It sounds simple because it is. But simple doesn’t mean easy.
A starter needs regular feedings, the right environment, and a little attention. Ignore it for too long, and it’ll let you know. Treat it well, and it’ll reward you with incredible bread.
Why does a strong starter matter?
A healthy starter does much more than make dough rise.
It’s responsible for developing the flavor that makes sourdough taste like sourdough. It strengthens the dough so it can trap air, creating that light, open crumb people love. It helps produce the beautiful oven spring that gives a loaf its height and those blistered, golden crusts that make you want to cut into it before it’s even cooled.
When your starter is healthy, everything else gets easier.
When it isn’t…well, no amount of wishful thinking is going to save the loaf.
Betty White earns her keep.
Every week, Betty White helps make every loaf, every bagel, every focaccia, and every cinnamon roll that leaves my kitchen.
She gets fed before I do some mornings.
She travels between the counter and the refrigerator depending on the baking schedule.
She has survived vacations, Florida humidity, and more than a few late nights in the kitchen.
She’s probably the most reliable member of the team.
Why Betty White?
Because she just seemed to fit.
Dependable. Timeless. Beloved. Somehow getting better with age.
I could have named her “Starter #1,” but that’s about as exciting as naming your dog “Dog.”
Betty White has personality. Customers ask about her by name, and if you’ve ever taken one of my sourdough classes, you’ve probably met her in person.
She’s become part of the story behind Seaside Sourdough.
Great bread starts long before baking day.
People see a loaf cooling on the counter and think that’s where the magic happens. In reality, the process started days earlier.
Betty White gets fed and becomes active before I ever mix a batch of dough. From there, the dough is mixed, folded, shaped, and left to slowly ferment before it’s scored and baked. That long process can’t be rushed, and honestly, I wouldn’t want it to be.
It’s one of the reasons sourdough tastes so different from bread made with commercial yeast.
The quiet star of the bakery.
I’m usually the one handing you your order, but Betty White deserves a little credit too.
She’s the reason your bagel has that perfect chew. She’s behind the crackly crust on your loaf and the airy texture inside. She’s been showing up week after week, doing exactly what she’s supposed to do, asking for nothing more than a little flour, water, and patience.
Turns out, those three things can go a long way.
If you’ve ever enjoyed a loaf from Seaside Sourdough, you’ve already experienced Betty White’s handiwork. I think she’s simply the best, and after all these years, I wouldn’t bake with anyone else.