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Bread: One of the most humble & ubiquitous staples of the human diet, and undoubtedly one of the most delicious. Canadians have a love/hate relationship with bread; the "love" side entailing that it's cheap, dynamic, & tasty, and the "hate" side perhaps related to a hate of carbs, gluten, and/or preservatives. The bakers at Okanagan Grocery will show you the best of what’s to love about bread, and in particular, their sourdough bread. Made with simply water, organic Canadian flour, and sourdough, their loaves are nutritionally dense, easy to digest, and a preservative-free labour of love.
You may be familiar with this tangy, chewy-on-the-inside, crusty-on-the-outside bread, but you might not realize just how categorically different sourdough is to a regular loaf of bread. What white/commercial bread lacks - in nutritional value, flavour, and tradition - sourdough embodies. Okanagan Grocery has the best sourdough (that I’ve found) in Kelowna. We can thank Monika Walker, the head baker of OG, and her team, for their remarkable contribution to our local bread scene. Maybe you don’t need a reason to eat sourdough, but here are five excellent ones brought to you by the OG team!
It's easy on your digestive system!
20 million Canadians suffer from digestive disorders and these disorders have an incredible number of health and economic side effects (costing us $18 billion annually). If you're one of those who have a sensitive stomach or are gluten-sensitive, but you’re also a bread lover, sourdough could be your answer! There's a complex science in sourdough, but Monika makes it easy for us: "Sourdough fermentation breaks down proteins in the dough, which lowers the gluten content," and produces “good” bacteria, aiding overall digestion. The sour flavour in the bread also induces salivation, which begins the digestion process in your mouth. So, by the time the delicious sourdough gets into your belly, part of the digesting work has already been done for your stomach. This contrasts other breads, which can leave your mouth dry and your stomach churning. With a belly at ease, you have time to worry about other things (like what to have with your sourdough).
It tastes amazing.
We’ve already mentioned that it’s literally mouth-watering, and, as Monika says, "of course it's more delicious!" The irresistible & distinct tangy flavour comes from the same fermentation process that makes sourdough easy to digest. Fermenting can take eight hours to three days, (meaning Monika starts her work day at 4am!) but this time allows deep flavour to develop in the dough. After baking, this dough will be soft, dense, spongy, and chewy, with a crisp, thick crust. This crust – crucial to great sourdough – develops during fermentation and forms when baked in a stone-deck oven with steam. Crafting a loaf of sourdough in this way creates stand-out taste & texture, which are key aspects of sourdough’s famous profile.
No unpronounceable ingredients!
True & traditional sourdough contains no preservatives or chemicals because it just doesn't need them!
"Sourdough acts as a natural dough conditioner, which means there is no need to add chemicals to strengthen the dough (as often used in factory production)." We can then eat easy knowing that we’re not ingesting things like calcium sulfate, ethoxylated mono & di-glycerides, and other unknown chemicals that we can’t pronounce. And since it is naturally low-gluten too, you won’t find any of the additives that make up gluten-free breads, like tapioca starch, and xanthan gum. There is one additive in OG bread, though… love! Which, Monika says, is “the most essential additive.”
Your loaf lasts longer!
Ever buy an artisan loaf of bread that goes stale the next day? Not with sourdough! Monika says that “the acidity in fermentation acts as a natural preservative, which slows down the staling process." So, on day two, three, or four, it will be just as moist and delicious as the day you bought it. More bang for your buck, and less food waste!
It has regional character.
Sourdough is as dynamic as its ingredients are simple. Flour, water, and salt sound straightforward, but each ingredient used will uniquely influence the bread. At Okanagan Grocery they bake with local organic ingredients, including a live local yeast. This “terroir” aspect to their bread makes Okanagan sourdough different than, say, a San Fran sourdough. "Each strand of live yeast has its own unique geographical personality” and every day the OG bakers must “craft [each loaf] to perfection, making adjustments, juggling temperature, humidity, and changes in flour. It's amazing to see the variables in a loaf incorporating simply water, organic Canadian flour, and sourdough.”
A bonus reason to eat OG sourdough: It’s ethical.
It’s vegan, dairy free, and 100% cruelty-free (although it’s kind of cruel Monika and the team have to be up so early to make the bread). Plus, it supports local business and economy, and a traditional trade. Just in case you weren’t convinced yet.
With these incredible variables, the formidable time commitment, and the intrinsic science in sourdough, it’s obvious to the observer (and to the eater) the exceptional skill and dedication of Okanagan Grocery’s team. As Monika puts it, “our bakers are… how do you say… obsessed with the perfect sourdough loaf.”
Kelowna born and raised, Keddy Pavlik of TheTreatLife has been passionate about the local food scene basically since birth. If she's not in the kitchen, you can probably find her at the farmer's market or taking pictures of food. Photo Credit: Jordana Dickson
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