Our Italian starter quite possibly a thousand years old !
About Our Italian Sourdough Starter
The Italian sourdough starter you’ve purchased is steeped in a rich heritage stretching centuries. This starter, originally sourced from J. Davenport's Famous Sourdough Starters, boasts an impressive lineage.
This was the information given to me upon purchasing the starter. According to Davenport, the origin of this starter can be traced to a small bakery nestled in the Tuscan Apennine mountain range. This bakery, in turn, received the starter over a hundred years ago from the monks of the nearby Camaldoli Monastery. The monastery has a venerable history, having been founded around 1012 A.D. by St. Romauld, a Benedictine monk who sought to create a sanctuary for solitary religious reflection.
With its serene ambiance, the Sacred Hermitage of Camaldoli continues to house Benedictine Camaldolese monks who live by their religious traditions. Among these traditions is the practice of baking, and it is believed that the sourdough starter they began nurturing a thousand years ago is still in use today. This ancient starter has been meticulously preserved and passed down through generations, embodying a tangible connection to the past.
Through the efforts of J. Davenport, this remarkable sourdough starter is now available to the public, allowing bakers everywhere to partake in a piece of history. By incorporating this historic starter into your baking, you are not only creating delicious sourdough bread but also continuing a centuries-old tradition that began in the sacred mountainsides of Tuscany.