The Story Behind “The Bitch”
This starter has been alive since 1907 and has only lived in three households—mine included. I received the last remaining portion of her as a birthday gift from my half-brother. It belonged to his grandmother and had already been in her family for a century.
At the time, I had just finished culinary school and was working as a young chef in San Francisco. One of the books that inspired me to become a chef as a child—Kitchen Confidential by the late Anthony Bourdain—told a story about a starter named “The Bitch.” She made incredible bread. So does ours.
This starter is a piece of our family, and we’re honored to share her with you. When she arrives in your home, we encourage you to name her—make her part of your own story. She’s meant everything to us, and we know she’ll mean something to you too.