field notes from the cottage baker world.
Sourdough technique, inclusions, farmers-market economics, pricing reality, and the bread we wish we'd known about earlier. Vol. I — first eight entries.
A beginner sourdough boule, by the gram
The recipe we hand new bakers — 1 kilo of dough, a 24-hour timeline, and a finished crumb that doesn't try to be anything heroic.
Read →Why 80% hydration changes everything
The case for going from 70% to 80% hydration — what changes in the dough, the crumb, the crust, and what you give up in exchange.
Read →Folding matcha into sourdough without ruining the crumb
How much matcha to add (less than you think), when to add it, and how to keep the color vibrant after the bake.
Read →Croissant sourdough with frozen butter shavings
The cheating shortcut to laminated-feeling sourdough — frozen butter, cold dough, and three short folds. Not croissants. Not sourdough. Something in between.
Read →Mini loaf flights — the farmers-market secret weapon
Why a $12 trio of 200g mini loaves outsells a single $10 boule at most farmers markets, and how to think about the math.
Read →The 5 sourdough loaves that consistently sell out
Surveying ~30 cottage bakers across the US, these five loaves came up again and again as the bread that sells out before close.
Read →What cottage bakers actually charge: a pricing reality check
Plain country loaf: ~$10. Inclusions: ~$12. Pulled from ~30 farmers-market menus across the country. Notes on where prices skew high and low.
Read →Beyond bread: the supporting cast at the cottage market table
What sells alongside sourdough — cookies, cinnamon buns, and scones — and how to plan your weekly inventory across baked goods.
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