Free Republic

While sourdough might seem like just another type of bread you can make or buy, it actually used to be one of the only options. Until the development of commercial yeasts in the 1800s, sourdough, made with naturally occurring yeasts and lactic acid bacteria, was the main type of leavened bread consumed worldwide. Sourdough undergoes natural fermentation rather than relying on additives found in baker's yeast. This means that, compared to other breads, it is easier to digest, has a less significant impact on blood sugar, and is potentially more nutritious. 1. It's Easier to Digest The fermentation process used...

Coffee prices have topped $3 a pound for the first time in more than 34 years. A drop in supplies of high-grade arabica coffee beans and a growing taste for upmarket coffee among the middle classes of China, Brazil, Indonesia and India are blamed for the sharp rise. Continuing weakness in the dollar has also kept many commodity markets soaring and encouraged a buy-up of arabica beans. New York's July arabica contract hit $3.025 a pound on Wednesday, the highest since 1977. According to the Guardian, coffee futures inched lower to $2.94 on Thursday. Coffee prices have more than doubled...

The bankrupt Kansas City firm that owns three Bay Area bakeries killed one of the oldest names in San Francisco's sourdough French bread business Friday. It was the last day for the Parisian sourdough bread bakery, which had been producing San Francisco's signature bread for 149 years. "It's a sad day for the industry, a sad day for San Francisco, and a sad day for all those people losing their jobs,'' said Lou Giraudo, whose family owns the Boudin bakery chain and once owned Parisian. The family sold Parisian in 1993 to another firm, which later sold it to Interstate...