The Crema Cafe

Pain au Levain, French for naturally-leavened bread, is a popular type of artisan bread. It is more commonly known as sourdough bread. It is made with starter dough that gives bread a distinct flavor and texture that cannot be imitated by commercial yeast. Pain au Levain is usually a dense bread that has a delicate tang to it. This flavor actually helps to hold the moisture in the bread, so it can stay fresher longer than other breads.

This type of bread is the oldest form of leavened bread. In 1500 BC, the Egyptians were the first recorded civilization to use this type of bread. This bread is also more famously known from the California Gold Rush in San Francisco. It was a staple food for the miners on their quest for gold.

If you haven’t seen our other post about artisan bread, you can find it here: http://cremacafe.com/2011/06/25/what-is-artisan-bread/.