Organic Sourdough in Orlando: What Makes Real Sourdough

When I moved from the Netherlands to Florida, one of the things I missed most was real bread. I'm Bas, I've worked as an executive chef, and with my wife Catalina and our son Nathaniel I now bake organic sourdough at The Little Dutch Bakery. People in Orlando often ask me: what actually makes sourdough "real"? Here is my honest answer.

Real sourdough has three ingredients

Flour, water and salt. That's it. Our Signature Sourdough is made with organic flour, water and salt, and nothing else. Many loaves sold as "sourdough" add commercial yeast, sugar, vinegar for a sour taste, or dough conditioners to speed things up. Real sourdough doesn't need any of that.

The rise comes from a starter, not a packet

Instead of commercial yeast, real sourdough rises with a starter: a living culture of wild yeast and bacteria, kept alive by feeding it flour and water. Ours is fed on organic wheat flour and water. We even share it. A living piece of our starter, called Van Dough Jr., is available if you want to bake at home, and the starter kit includes what you need to bake a first loaf. A care guide comes inside.

Time is the secret ingredient

The biggest difference is time. We ferment our dough long and slow, the old way. During that long fermentation, the starter develops flavor and structure. That is where the crisp crust, the open crumb and the real tang come from. You can't rush it, and we don't try to.

Why we bake with organic flour

When your bread is only three ingredients, each one matters. We chose organic flour because we believe it is better food for everybody, with no pesticides in the flour. It is the same flour in every loaf, from the plain Signature to the Multigrain with our Super 7 Seed Mix (sunflower, pumpkin, brown and golden flax, black and white chia, and hemp).

How to tell if a loaf is the real thing

• Read the ingredients. Look for flour, water and salt. If you see yeast, sugar, vinegar or a long list of additives, it isn't traditional sourdough.
• Look at the crust. A long-fermented loaf baked hot has a deep, crisp crust.
• Look at the crumb. An open, irregular crumb is a good sign.
• Taste it. Real sourdough has a gentle tang that comes from fermentation, not from added acid.

Flavors, built on the same dough

Once the base is right, you can have some fun. We fold ingredients into our signature dough for loaves like Jalapeño Cheddar, Garlic Parmesan, Olive with Kalamata and green olives, and Chocolate Espresso. New this fall are Cranberry Walnut and Sun-dried Tomatoes and Basil.

How to get real sourdough in Orlando

• Thursday delivery: we deliver to 36 zip codes, including Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Altamonte Springs and up to Sanford. Order on Hotplate, $20 minimum, no delivery fee. See the full list on our Orlando sourdough delivery page.
• Farmers markets: Winter Park Farmers Market on Saturday from 8 AM to 1 PM, Port Orange Farmers Market at the Pavilion on Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM, and Mount Dora Village Farmers Market on Sunday from 9 AM to 2 PM. Preorder on our Local & markets page.
• Shipped in Florida: order by Wednesday noon and it arrives Friday. Shipping is $8, free on orders of $50 or more. See Florida shipping.
• Our Longwood bakery: opening mid-November 2026 at 851 E SR 434, Suite 130, Thursday to Sunday, 8 AM to 2 PM, with a toast bar and drip coffee. Learn more on our Longwood bakery page.

Keeping it fresh

Fresh sourdough keeps best when you store it well. Keep it at room temperature for one to two days. For longer, slice and freeze it, then toast slices straight from frozen.

Good bread is simple, but it is never fast. That is what we love about it, and we'd love to share it with you. Questions? Text or call me at (407) 590-7548.

Eet smakelijk!
Bas, Catalina and Nathaniel