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While everyone else was busy discovering the wonders of sourdough at the beginning of quarantine, Bryan Ford had been at it for years. In fact, the Food Network judge and baking pro made it the focus of his just-released cookbook, New World Sourdough, encouraging readers to think beyond what a traditional loaf might look like—because the reality is fermented dough comes in so many forms, from mango galettes to muffaletta rolls, and doesn’t have to be an intimidating endeavor.
Now he’s bringing the same refreshingly unpretentious approach to artisanal bread in a series of virtual courses, hosted on Patreon. “I started doing this when I realized my book tour wasn’t going to happen and COVID-19 took over our lives,” he explains.
He’s offering five different levels of instruction; for example, $75 a month will get you access to two live workshops plus extra recipes. Tune in to learn about proofing techniques for enriched doughs and high-hydration sourdough mixing—along with some delicious recipes, of course. “Students can comment and ask questions, and if they want, I can share the screen with them and they can face me and the audience,” says Ford. “It’s really fun.”
The classes are already filling up quickly, so if you’re interested in expanding your bread-making repertoire, act fast. In the meantime, check out Ford’s blog for a number of dishes you can make right now. Sourdough English muffins or pizza Cubano, anyone?
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