Scenes from the Sitka Kitch’s Winter Baking Series class Sourdough Bread With Carolyn Rice

Students learned how to bake sourdough bread using a sourdough starter named Xavier during the first class of the Sitka Kitch‘s Winner Baking Series, Sourdough Bread With Carolyn Rice on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at the Sitka Kitch rental commercial kitchen.

Carolyn is an Alaska Fellow working with the Sitka Conservation Society and USDA Forest Service, and her class taught how to create and feed a sourdough starter, as well as how to bake sourdough bread using a variety of bread flours. She also explained why she named her sourdough starter Xavier and why others should give their starters a name. Students were able to take home a small bit of Xavier so they could build their own sourdough starters, and they each took home a ball of bread dough to proof overnight and bake the next day.

The next class in the Winter Baking Series is Bagels With Robin Sherman, which takes place from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Sitka Kitch (note the earlier starting time than our usual evening classes). This class costs $40 ($30 for Sitka Food Co-op members who are current on their dues), and the registration deadline is 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. More classes in the series will be announced as their information is finalized.