A little reason to celebrate

National Sourdough Bread Day

Food · April 1

A look at sourdough bread, the tangy, chewy loaf leavened by a living starter of wild yeast and bacteria instead of packaged yeast.

National Sourdough Bread Day falls on Thursday, April 1, 2027. That is 156 days away.

Sourdough is bread raised by a starter, a paste of flour and water that has been left to collect wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria. The yeast makes the gas that lifts the dough. The bacteria make the acids that give the bread its sour edge.

A good loaf has a crackly, deeply browned crust and an open, chewy crumb with irregular holes. The flavor runs from mild and milky to sharply tangy, depending on the flour, the temperature and how long the dough rests. Slow, cool rises tend to push it toward the sour end.

Keeping a starter is a bit like keeping a very undemanding pet. It needs regular feedings of fresh flour and water, and in return it bubbles, rises and smells faintly of yogurt or green apples. Bakers often share a spoonful with friends, so one jar can end up seeding kitchens across a whole neighborhood.

Most people meet sourdough as toast, sandwich bread or a bowl for thick soup. It also holds up well in grilled cheese, because the sturdy crumb does not go limp under butter and heat. Day-old slices make good croutons or bread pudding.

If a loaf from the oven tempts you, give it time. The crumb keeps setting as it cools, and cutting it hot can leave the inside gummy. An hour on a rack makes for cleaner slices.

Ways to celebrate

Buy a loaf from a local bakery and taste it plain first.
Ask a baking friend for a spoonful of their starter.
Make grilled cheese on thick slices of sourdough.
Turn stale sourdough into croutons for soup or salad.
Compare a mild and a tangy sourdough side by side.

Dates

Year	Date
2026	Wednesday, April 1
2027	Thursday, April 1
2028	Saturday, April 1
2029	Sunday, April 1
2030	Monday, April 1

All national days on April 1

Also on April 1

Categories: Food days