The Humble, Magical Beginnings of Sourdough (Gluten-Free Style)

It all starts with just two simple ingredients: flour and water. Add in a lively mix of wild yeast and beneficial bacteria, and you’ve got the humble beginnings of sourdough. With the right balance of temperature, feeding, time — and a little bit of luck — fermentation works its magic, creating the ingredient that bread lovers around the world can’t get enough of.

Sourdough doesn’t just make bread taste amazing — it also makes it easier to digest.

Good news for all the bread enthusiasts who either avoid gluten for health reasons or live with Celiac disease: Flour Chylde, Novato’s beloved Gluten-Free Bakery and Café, has you covered!

Karen Weaver, our owner and chief bread baker, has spent years perfecting gluten-free sourdough. You’ll find our sourdough baguettes and sourdough loaves fresh daily at our Novato Bakery and Café — and at the Marin Farmers Market every Thursday and Sunday.

Anyone who’s worked with sourdough knows that starters have personality. Keeping one happy is a lot like caring for a pet — they need regular attention, and yes, many bakers even give them names. At Flour Chylde, our lively starter Lucy, named after an employee’s spirited cat, keeps our sourdough thriving. We’re also nurturing a quieter, more reserved starter named Millie, made with millet flour, who is still finding her groove.

To all our gluten-free bread lovers: we’re here for you! Come by and try our loaves — they’ve been getting rave reviews! Thanks to Lucy’s energy and Karen’s craftsmanship, fresh, flavorful, gluten-free sourdough is officially on the menu.