Have you ever wondered if you could bake sourdough bread like you’d get from a baker but didn’t know where to start? This Wallyhood writer, who has never baked bread before, wanted to try. There are tons of YouTube videos and books on the topic but I wanted to take a class in person. I did an internet search for local baking classes and found one at our own Sea Wolf Bakery on Stone Way N.
Sea Wolf was founded in 2014 by brothers Jesse and Kit Schumann. What started as a wholesale-only business changed in 2016 with the opening of their retail store on Stone Way. The Sea Wolf bakers have been teaching since they opened for business in 2014. Before the retail store, classes were taught at the Book Larder in Fremont. (The Book Larder still hosts cooking-related talks).
Intro to Sourdough
Our class started at 6pm right after the bakery closed. The class size is limited to 8 people and it lasts for about 2.5 hours. Our instructor was Anne Cloudwood, who is the Bread Manager for Sea Wolf. Her background is in yeast genetics which probably isn’t the usual path for a master baker. Each student has a station with all the sourdough ingredients measured and a bowl to do the hand mixing. Come prepared to get a little messy because the first step is to mix the dough with your hands to “get the feel of it”.
The class covers each step of the sourdough baking process – mix, fold and ferment, pre-shape, bench rest, final shape, proof and bake. At home this will take 6 to 8 hours or overnight if you want to pause and bake in the morning. The instructor had us practice each step. Folding the dough we mixed, then using dough that was prepared ahead of the class to practice shaping and proofing. We also baked some dough that had already been through the proofing process to see how that’s done.
Everyone goes home with the dough you mixed and started folding, your basket full of the dough you practiced shaping and more dough if you want it from the class examples. If you’re not a night owl, you can put this in the fridge and continue with the following steps in the morning. I had enough to bake 3 boules the next day.
We also received Sea Wolf’s sourdough starter (levain), a proofing basket, Sea Wolf tea towel and the printed instructions.
How to sign up
The intro to sourdough class costs $110. The classes are held at both Sea Wolf and Oxbow, their Montlake location. The Sea Wolf location holds one class a month so those fill up very fast. If you wait for the classes to be listed on their website you’ll likely be out of luck. Sign up for their mailing list to get early notification. When you get the email, sign up within the hour. The Oxbow location holds 4 to 5 classes a month so those might be easier to get a spot.
What to do next
Get a starter. Sea Wolf Bakery feeds its sourdough starter twice a day so they have lots to share. They will give you their starter for free if you ask.
If you can’t get into a class right away, look for the talks they host at their bakery. The class schedule might expand in the future so be on the lookout for advanced sourdough, pastry or maybe a baguette class. There are also events (and lots of cookbooks) at the Book Larder in Fremont.
And then start baking! The class gave me the confidence to bake bread. It will impress your family and friends. Mine are giving me lots of encouragement to continue baking!