Intensive: Advanced Sourdough Theory & Practice with Heike Meyer

Milk Street's Intensives

Expand your sourdough baking skills with Heike Meyer, one of only a handful of certified bread sommeliers in the world.

Become a Better Baker

Skillet flatbreads, steamed bao, sourdough bread, double-chocolate cookies, sour cherry streusel: Sweet or savory, we love baking, and we want to help you be a more confident, inspired baker. Join us to make your baking much more exciting.

Bread Baking

Learn to mix, knead, shape, rise, bake and griddle breads from around the world.

Milk Street's Cooking Fundamentals

If you want to really learn how to cook, you need to tackle some fundamentals first. Grow your confidence in the kitchen with our classes on Knife Skills, Spices, Substitutions, Vegetable Techniques, and of course our cornerstone cooking theory.

NOTE: iphone and ipad users,<a href="https://eventbrite.oldmanhustle.net/checkout-external?eid=1977316718533" title="https://eventbrite.oldmanhustle.net/checkout-external?eid=1977316718533" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> CLICK HERE </a>to register for class.What’s on the Menu: Introduction to Sourdough Flavor Theory Grain Milling for the Home Baker Care &amp; Keeping of Different Starters Heritage Grain Field Loaves Sourdough Pastries ...and more! Description: Start the new year off right with a transformative series on sourdough baking with bread sommelier Heike Meyer, who will invite you to explore bread in a way you may never have imagined. What’s a bread sommelier, you ask? Like a wine sommelier, a bread sommelier has profound knowledge of bread, including history, heritage grains, home and commercial milling, fermentation science, nutritional aspects and—of course—flavor. Over the course of three sessions spaced two weeks apart, Heike will share all of this knowledge with you, with a particular focus on how the combination of whole grains and strategic techniques yield extraordinary flavor. In addition to baking great sourdough loaves, you’ll develop an intuitition for incorporating starter into nearly any of your favorite baked goods while maintaining lightness and structure. You’ll also learn to truly taste bread—your own and others—with the palate of an expert, allowing you to pair it thoughtfully and adjust your bakes to achieve the results you want. Please note: This advanced Intensive is best for bakers with sourdough experience who are looking to take their practice to another level. If you need a refresher on sourdough theory and practice before this series begins, please reach out to us at <a href="mailto:cookingschool@177milkstreet.com" title="mailto:cookingschool@177milkstreet.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">cookingschool@177milkstreet.com</a> and we can make recommendations! The sessions will take place from 6-7:30 pm Eastern Time on January 12, January 26 and February 9. Can’t make it to all the sessions in real time? You should still sign up! We record all livestream events and send the recording to registered attendees immediately after each session. Plus, Intensive attendees have access to a group chat so that you can ask your teacher questions between sessions and share photos and progress with your fellow students. In the first session, our focus is on the alchemy of different starter cultures. You’ll learn about a rainbow of different whole grains and “pseudo-grains,” including wheat, rye, sorghum, buckwheat, rice and more, and how these grain varieties affect the fermentation process and the final taste of a loaf of bread. We’ll dive deep into regional grains, heritage grains, nutritional facts (and some fiction). Heike will share recommendations for her favorite home mills; plus, as a group, we’ll collaboratively create a list of mills across the country for you to explore. All of this information is critical in order to successfully nurture your starters—and yes, we do mean starters, plural. Different starters have unique structure, behavior, flavors and care &amp; keeping guidelines, and Heike will make a pitch for trying out starters with rye, buckwheat, millet, rice flour and more. And you’ll see why it’s well worth your while to maintain a starter culture specifically for sweet baking. In the second session, we turn our focus to the art and craft of milling, and how to use high-quality flours to bake versatile, flavor-forward bread. It’s naturally leavened—of course—using your happy, healthy starter. We’ll explore how to complement and augment the natural flavors of your starter with your grain choices, fermentation strategy and hydration level. Heike will walk you through mixing, proofing, shaping and baking this bread, which will function as your template recipe for countless loaves of bread to come, whether they take the form of a country loaf, a sandwich bread or even a flatbread. She’ll also spend time troubleshooting any starter quandaries that may have arisen between sessions. In the final session, we’ll start by tackling the questions—and celebrating the victories—that you have from practicing making loaves over the preceding four weeks. Then, Heike will highlight differences between liquid and stiff / sweet starter cultures as she shows you how to make a variety of sweets. As always, our focus is on flavor, so we’ll explore pairing sweetness with various whole grains. We’ll wrap up by making sure you have a plan to continue taking good care of your starters, sourcing great flours and tasting bread like a pro. You’ll also get a tasting sheet of Heike’s own design to help you critically assess breads in the same way you might a fine wine, a dark chocolate or a really good coffee. About Heike: Born in Berlin and raised in northern Germany, Heike has been baking since childhood and has trained with master bakers around the world. In 2011, she founded <a href="https://brotbakery.com/about" title="https://brotbakery.com/about" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Brot Bakehouse School and Kitchen</a> in Vermont as a place to build community and honor the centuries-old craft of bread. Driven by curiosity and a deep respect for the craft, Heike went on to study with some of the world’s most respected bakers, including Jeffrey Hamelman, Chad Robertson, Nicolas Supiot and Dave Miller, among many others. In 2024, she graduated from the German Academy for Professional Bakers and earned the rare distinction of Certified International Bread Sommelier—one of only a handful worldwide. The following year, Heike proudly represented the United States at the World Bread Sommelier Championships, where she was honored as a finalist among the best in the world. Heike continues to share her belief that bread is more than food—it is connection, culture and taste.This intensive is generously sponsored by <a href="https:// https://www.brodandtaylor.com" title="https:// https://www.brodandtaylor.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Brød &amp; Taylor</a>. Brød &amp; Taylor began with a simple gift. Our founder, Michael Taylor, built the first folding proofer to help his mother-in-law bake bread in her chilly South Dakota kitchen, where dough wouldn’t rise reliably. It worked so well that friends began requesting their own. What started as a homemade solution from a small town in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts quickly grew into something bigger. Today, Brod &amp; Taylor supports bakers everywhere with high-quality products that transform baking challenges into simple pleasures. Heike will be using an array of Brød &amp; Taylor products over the course of this Intensive, so attendees will come away with comfort picking the right sourdough tools to support their baking. Our multi-session Intensives are capped at just 25 attendees and are distinct from our livestream Classes. As such, they are NOT included with Insider membership.Want to give this class as a gift? You can purchase gift cards <a href="https://www.177milkstreet.com/school/gift-cards" title="https://www.177milkstreet.com/school/gift-cards" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">here</a>.Immediately after registering, you will get a confirmation email that contains the Zoom meeting log-in information. One week prior to the class (or within 48 hours, if you register less than one week in advance), you will receive instructions on how to prepare ingredients and equipment in order to cook along with us.After class, you will receive a recording of the event, as well as a packet with recipes and resources that we discuss during the event. If you have any questions about this class, please don't hesitate to get in touch via cookingschool@177milkstreet.com.This event has limited spots, and you must register in advance via Eventbrite. One sign-up covers one device. Closed Captioning is available for this event.Payments for Milk Street livestream workshops are non-refundable. If you find yourself unable to attend, you may transfer the ticket to someone else, but we are unable to refund fees and all payments are final.Bonus: All attendees of this class will receive a one-time 20% off coupon to the <a href="https://store.177milkstreet.com/" title="https://store.177milkstreet.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Milk Street Store</a> after class.

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Intensive: Advanced Sourdough Theory & Practice with Heike Meyer

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Intensive: Advanced Sourdough Theory & Practice with Heike Meyer

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