Tartine Bread and Bakery

As a sourdough baker, I consider myself extremely lucky to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. For over a century, SF has been a reference for sourdough bread with its rich history and iconic bakeries such as Boudin, Acme and Tartine.

Since I started baking sourdough I have tried loaves from multiple bakeries and farmer's markets in SF and the surrounding area, and my favorites so far have been from Tartine, run by baker and author Chad Robertson. Besides the incredible bread prepared there, Robertson has written multiple books on baking sourdough bread, which have taught me a lot about advanced levain bread techniques and recipes. So I consider Tartine to be a fundamental part of my sourdough baking journey. 

Indeed, Tartine sourdough is close to perfection (my absolute favorite is the Country Sesame loaf) with its wonderfully open crumb, moist consistency, and deep, rich whole grain taste. Whenever I pick up a loaf at their bakeries, I am reminded of what I aspire to as I aim to bake better sourdough.

If you have the chance to visit Tartine Manufactory in SF’s Mission District, walk down the side of the kitchen to catch a glimpse of the bakers folding and shaping dough after bench rest. This will give you a chance to see the shaping technique, dough consistency and handling first hand! 

When reading Chad Robertson’s books, one appreciates a life dedicated to perfecting the craft of making bread. Having travelled the world and learned from many master bakers, he has in my opinion, elevated bread making to a new level.

C. Robertson has multiple books on baking bread which are great references for beginning as well as more advanced bakers. For beginners, I suggest picking up “Tartine Bread”, which details how to get a sourdough starter going, basic fermentation times/tips, and techniques for dough shaping, as well as tools and equipment. 

For more advanced bakers, I highly recommend Tartine Book #3. This book has opened my eyes to many techniques to elevate sourdough bread, such as the use of sprouting grains, porridges and seeds in the dough. 

These books are likely available in your local library, or can be purchased on Amazon.