Our Story
Where Every Starter Tells a Story
My love for bread started long before I ever knew what a sourdough starter was.
Growing up, my great-grandmother, who made the journey to the United States from Italy, filled our kitchen with the warm aroma of fresh-baked bread and homemade Italian pizza. She didn't use timers or measuring cups. She baked by feel, by tradition, and by love. The kitchen always smelled amazing, and those memories are baked into everything I do today.
That passion eventually led me to the world of sourdough, where I discovered the magic of wild fermentation, the same kind of slow, simple baking that families like mine have relied on for generations. There's something beautiful about feeding a living culture and watching it transform flour and water into a golden, crusty loaf with that signature tangy flavor.
What We Do
At Great Grandma's Sourdough, we preserve and share heritage sourdough starter cultures from around the world. Each one carries real history:
- Our San Francisco starter is over 200 years old, a living piece of Gold Rush-era baking tradition
- Our Ancient Egyptian starter traces back 4,500 years to a culture isolated from a bakery near the pyramids of Giza
- Our Italian Monastery starter comes from a 1,000-year-old tradition at the Camaldoli Monastery in Italy
- Our Alaskan starter carries the rugged, wild yeast heritage of frontier sourdough culture
- And we offer specialty cultures like Black Death (for bakers who love it extra sour) and a Gluten Free option
Every starter we sell is organic and gently dehydrated at low temperatures to preserve its integrity. When you're ready to bake, rehydration takes just a few days of simple feeding with flour and water.
How We Care for Our Cultures
For many years, we have carefully stewarded a diverse collection of sourdough cultures and genetics, following strict standard operating procedures to preserve their original traits and prevent cross-contamination. We have decades of experience in preserving genetic drift in genetics and cultures.
Each culture is stored in a dedicated, climate-controlled space to ensure optimal conditions for its health and longevity. We use individually designated tools and mixing vessels for every culture, all clearly marked and stored separately. Our facility undergoes frequent evaluations by both in-house teams and third-party inspectors, maintaining exceptional standards in hygiene, safety, and product integrity.
We feed our starters with hydro-filtered water and high-quality organic flour, ensuring maximum yeast microbes and strong vigor in every packet we ship.
What's Included with Every Order
- A gently dehydrated organic sourdough starter
- A step-by-step guide to activating your starter, including recipes
- Full access to message me directly for any questions or help along the way
I usually respond to customers very quickly, sometimes even in minutes. Whether you're a first-time baker or a seasoned bread lover, I want you to succeed and fall in love with sourdough the way I did.
Shipping Worldwide
We've shipped to over 55 countries and counting. Because our starters are dehydrated, they travel safely and have a long shelf life. There's no rush to activate them when they arrive; they'll be ready whenever you are.
Join the Journey
Sourdough is naturally fermented, which can make it easier to digest than conventional bread. No commercial yeast needed, just flour, water, and patience. Once you have a healthy starter going, you can keep it alive indefinitely, even pass it down to your kids and grandkids, just like my great-grandmother passed her love of baking down to me.
Thank you for being here, and welcome to the family.
Happy Baking! ❤️❤️❤️