By Jake Rallo
The earliest record of sourdough dates back to Ancient Egypt around 1500 BCE. It’s believed the discovery of sourdough was made by accident, as dough was likely left out and started to ferment due to wild yeast and bacteria present in the air – similar to the discovery of champagne, when bubbles accidentally introduced themselves into still wine traveling the seas. I guess good things commonly happen by accident.
If sourdough has existed forever, why has it only recently stepped into the spotlight? We could attribute its rise to many different reasons, but from my hours of scrolling, I’d say sourdough got its star power from TikTok.
Let’s briefly go back to 2020, when the world was put on pause; our busy lives were suddenly halted, and we were left with a lot of time on our hands. What do we do with time? Learn new hobbies. For many, that meant diving into sourdough bread baking, which jump-started the bread-making journeys of countless new home bakers, including myself.
Thanks to a friend, I got my hands on a sourdough starter that’s been propagated for hundreds of years, with origins tracing back to Rome, Italy. And so, my sourdough journey began.
With help from a recipe by Clare Saffitz, a food writer for The New York Times, I baked my first loaf – with decent success. Her article, “Our Ultimate Guide to Making Sourdough Bread,” encourages readers not to be intimidated by the process. It walks you through each step with photos and videos, showing how to bake bread with an airy crumb and crispy crust. If you’re new to sourdough, it’s a fantastic place to start.
The Lifeline of Sourdough Bread: What Is a Starter?
When you’re making a product with just two main ingredients, flour and water, it’s crucial to understand exactly what you’re working with.
A sourdough starter is a mixture of wild yeast and bacteria that feed on flour and water. Once active, it produces gases like carbon dioxide, which cause the dough to rise and give sourdough its signature tangy flavor. Without a starter, you can’t make true sourdough.
Unlike commercial yeast, which you can pick up at the store, the yeast in your starter is wild – naturally present in flour. Given the right conditions, this yeast multiplies, creating a live culture strong enough to bake with. In my opinion, propagating a starter from scratch is the toughest part of the whole bread-making process. Luckily, many home bakers are happy to share a portion of theirs, so ask around! But even after you’ve acquired a starter, your job isn’t done.
What Do You Mean I Have to Feed It?
That’s right, a starter is a living culture, and like any living thing, it needs food.
At a regular cadence, daily or weekly, depending on how it’s stored, you’ll need to “feed” your starter by discarding a portion and adding fresh flour and water. The yeast needs this consistent nourishment to thrive.
Sourdough, like any Type A personality, prefers a schedule. Personally, I feed mine first thing every morning. If you stray too far from routine, you could end up with a sad, moldy mess – a sure sign it’s time to start over.
Don’t Want to Bake? Visit Benchmark Breads in Little Silver
If sourdough baking isn’t your thing, or if you’re simply craving a great loaf, head over to Benchmark Breads in Little Silver – my favorite local bakery.
What started as a fun project between husband-and-wife duo Travis and Betsy has become a Monmouth County staple. Travis, originally a beer brewer, had a deep understanding of fermentation before he started baking bread. While alcoholic fermentation is its own science, his background gave him a strong advantage when he started baking loaves for friends and neighbors. Before long, the couple outgrew their home kitchen and launched a full-fledged wholesale bread business.
From Expert to Everyday Baker: How to Maintain Consistency
“What’s the secret to keeping sourdough consistent?” I asked Travis. His answer came down to two things:
Daily use of the starter: Feeding and using your starter at the same time every day helps maintain its health and activity. Consistency in this step builds a strong foundation for every bake.
A controlled environment: Bread baking is highly sensitive to temperature. Since water is one of sourdough’s two core ingredients, using water at the same temperature daily can greatly affect results. Additionally, maintaining a stable ambient environment ensures predictable proofing times – and more consistent bread.
Benchmark Bread Storefront in Little Silver
In November 2024, the duo expanded beyond wholesale and opened their first retail location in Little Silver.
The retail shop brought increased visibility and opportunity, but also new challenges. “When we were just doing wholesale, we knew exactly what to make each day. Retail added the challenge of predicting what people will want,” Betsy told me. “I want to figure out how to get everyone what they want.”
A common scene at any bread bakery is arriving too late in the day and missing out on your favorite style of bread, or finding the shelves empty altogether. Striking the balance between having just enough bread to serve every customer and avoiding waste is perhaps the biggest challenge most bakeries face.
With demand continuing to grow, Benchmark Breads is working on a new baking facility more than twice the size of their current one. Between supplying farmers markets, wholesale accounts and their ever-growing retail base, they’ve simply outgrown their space.
In the meantime, do yourself a favor: visit the shop early so you can have your pick before they sell out!
How do Travis and Betsy enjoy their bread? They both lean into what’s simple. A tomato and mayo sandwich with a little bit of salt and pepper for Betsy and cinnamon sugar toast for Travis. I encourage you to try both.
A Few Places that Have Sold Benchmark Bread Since the Beginning
Almost Home General, Navesink: With over 10 locations, Almost Home is my go-to spot for great coffee and a satisfying breakfast wrap. It’s part of my weekly routine. Stop by to experience their warm hospitality and enjoy Benchmark Bread.
The Blonde Shallot, Little Silver: If you’re looking to skip the hassle of preparing lunch, Blonde Shallot has you covered. Known for their fresh, ready-to-eat salads, it’s a place I frequent at least once a week. Bonus: they use Benchmark Bread, which takes everything up a notch.
Cardinal Provisions, Asbury Park: In my opinion, Cardinal Provisions serves some of the best breakfast in Asbury Park. Their egg dishes are top-tier, but the real stars are their baked goods and, of course, their sandwiches on Benchmark Bread.
Jake Rallo, part of the Rallo family dining legacy, is managing partner of River Pointe Inn in Rumson.
The article originally appeared in the August 21 – 27, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
