Tom's Pantry
Organic Sourdough Breads

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Hi! I am Tom Manley. Welcome to Tom's Pantry.

​I love authentic organic sourdough bread, the traditional levain bread that was common centuries ago before yeast was developed. Yeast makes quick and easy bread, but sourdough provides the unique fermented taste and the strong chewy texture.

I also love organic agriculture and food for its positive impact on our environment, our health, and farm families. I use almost only certified organic flours and ingredients, but my products are not certified organic. 

Since I run a small bakery, I also offer my ingredients for sale for home use, at very competitive prices: organic flours, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and other ingredients. 
Tom's Pantry is closed indefinitely.

After three years of baking, I have decided to close my bakery. It is quite simple. I have a day job and I also teach ballroom dancing. A third job was too much and I could not keep up.

​I still have ingredients for sale, for pickup at my house. Check the product list for details.

I thank everyone for your great support and I was very pleased to serve you. I will miss you and miss the opportunity to tease your taste buds.

But you can still find homemade organic sourdough bread. I recommend my friends Emeric and Sylviane at Ferme Butte & Bine in Williamstown. They will attend the Vankleek Hill Farmers market starting in January. 
​

Did you really reduce or cut bread out of your diet? Think again. Here are ten reasons to love bread, especially sourdough. ​

Also for sale - organic flours and ingredients.

I keep a stock of organic flours, nuts, seeds, and many baking ingredients. You can buy these ingredients from me, in small or bulk quantities. I rely on three wholesale suppliers, so I have competitive prices. I checked the retail prices at a popular bulk food store and my ingredients prices are considerably lower. I keep a small inventory, so please give me lots of prior notice, especially for bulk quantities, so that I may restock from my suppliers.

Find these items in my online virtual store. 

What is Sourdough Bread?

Bread is bread, right? Wrong! Not all bread is the same.

Sourdough bread is the traditional levain bread that was common centuries ago before yeast was developed. Yeast was developed to make bread rise faster and produce an even predictable texture. So bread became industrialized and massed produced. Yeast also makes quick and easy bread at home, but it is not the same texture and taste as sourhough.

Sourdough bread uses fermentation with naturally occurring bacteria and fungi. The baker maintains a live culture and feeds it flour daily. It takes much longer to ferment and rise sourdough compared to yeast. So it is labour and time intensive. But the taste and texture are unbeatable. As the name says, sourdough bread has the sour taste of fermentation, like the sour taste of plain yogourt, and the sour taste of a good fermented beer. Secondly, the fermentation and the kneading give structure to the gluten in the flour, producing an elastic chewy texture. 

Read more here...
And here...

Watch for genuine sourdough! The word sourdough is gaining in popularity. So some bread makers are taking shortcuts. The big thing is yeast. A baker could start the dough with a sourdough culture, but also add yeast to finish the rising more quickly and more evenly. The result may resemble sourdough bread but it still falls short of the unique taste and texture of genuine sourdough. Read more here...

Organic

Tom's Pantry uses almost only certified organic flours. Most of the other ingredients are also certified organic, with a few exceptions depending on availability. Look for the list of ingredients on the label to see which items are organic. But Tom's Pantry is not a certified organic operation. I will see about organic certification in the future as the business develops. 

Our Ingredients

Wheat Flour

The many species of wheat together make up the genus Triticum; the most widely grown is common wheat (T. aestivum). Bread flour is usually derived from hard red spring wheat, whereas soft winter wheat usually goes for pastries. Wheat is commonly produced in Canada, including Ontario and around the world. Wheat has the most gluten and causes bread to rise quickly.

Spelt Flour

Spelt (Triticum spelta) is a species of wheat cultivated since 5000 BC. Considered an ancient grain, spelt was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. It carries on today as a specialty health food in Europe and North America. Spelt gives a stronger but less bitter grain taste than wheat.

Kamut Flour

Kamut, the branded name for Khorasan wheat (Triticum turanicum), is an ancient grain type. Khorasan refers to a historical region in modern-day Iran in the northeast and parts of Central Asia including modern-day Afghanistan. This grain is known for a cream colour, delicate texture, and rich, nutty flavor.

Rye Flour

Rye (Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barley and wheat. Since the Middle Ages, people have cultivated rye widely in Central and Eastern Europe. It serves as the main bread cereal in most areas east of the French-German border and north of Hungary. Thanks to its strong taste, people appreciate the classic rye bread.

Sourdough Culture

Sourdough culture is a living dough sample kept every day and fed fresh flour for maintenance. Some culture is taken to make bread and the remaining culture is fed and multiplied for the next time. Culture is made by the fermentation of dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli bacteria and fungi. Sourdough bread has a mildly sour taste not present in most breads made with baker's yeast, and better inherent keeping qualities than other breads due to the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli.

Himalayan Salt

Pink Himalayan salt is a pink-coloured salt extracted from the Khewra Salt Mine, which is located near the Himalayas in Pakistan. The natural harvesting process allows pink Himalayan salt to possess many other minerals and trace elements that are not found in regular table salt.
Some people estimate it may contain up to 84 different minerals and trace elements. In fact, it's these very minerals, especially iron, that give it its characteristic pink colour..

Paper or Plastic?

Tom's Pantry uses paper and plastic bags to package the bread. The paper bags fit the small and the rectangular loaves. But the large round loaves cannot fit into the paper bags and require plastic bags. 

A loose loaf without a package is great for the day of baking as the crust stays slightly crispy. 

A paper bag is appropriate for the day of baking and the first day after baking, maybe even the second day. It releases some moisture from the bread and keeps the crust crispy, if that is what you want. However, damp cool rainy weather will penetrate the paper bag and make the crust soft. By the third day, the bread really starts to dry out and gets tough. Beyond two days, the loaf should be kept in either a bread box or a plastic bag, perhaps in the fridge to last up to a week. 

A plastic bag locks in the moisture. The bag keeps the bread moist and softens the crust, if that is what you want. The plastic bag is necessary for storage in the fridge or in the freezer.

If you purchase a loaf in a plastic bag, you can remove the bread from the bag and let the crust dry out to become crisp again. In either case, a toaster does wonders to bring out the texture and the flavour of the bread while hardening the crust. 

Tom's Bread Products

White...
The classic white bread is a simple blend of sifted white wheat flour, water, salt and sourdough culture. Since white wheat flour has little taste of its own, the distinct sourdough flavour is most prominent. But white flour is high in carbohydrates, so consider some of the other flavours to add protein, fibers, and other nutrients to your bread diet. But take my statement with a grain of sea salt. Some sources claim that the white bread is not so different from whole wheat bread.

Beer...
I make the white bread by replacing the water with Beau's organic Full Time IPA beer. It adds a nice hoppy taste to the bread.

Whole Wheat...
As a nutritionist would suggest, a whole wheat bread combines good taste with nutritional value thanks to the protein, fibers, bran, enzymes, and vitamins of the whole grain. I still use about 25% white wheat flour to give the bread extra volume, a lighter texture, and more air pockets.

Rye...
Try rye bread if you are getting bored with whole wheat. Rye bread offers a sharper taste and denser texture than wheat, along with very amazing health credentials including slower sugar uptake during digestion, more magnesium, and more phyto estrogen. I still mix 50% white wheat flour in my rye bread recipe to lighten the taste a little and give the bread more volume. 

Kamut...
Kamut (pronounced ka-moot) is a trademarked name given to khorasan wheat. The grain had been all but forgotten, but in recent history Kamut is making a comeback. This is most likely because of its great taste, texture, nutritional value and hypoallergenic properties. Even when milled as a whole grain, the bread colour is very light, the texture is soft, and the taste is slightly nutty.

Spelt...
The many health benefits of spelt flour are responsible for its current comeback. Spelt aids blood circulation, boosts the immune system, builds strong bones and aids digestion. Spelt is similar to wheat but has a slightly stronger grain taste and a darker colour. Read more about the health benefits.

Multi Grains...
Let's put is all together to combine the flavours and the benefits of all these grains. I mix white flour with whole wheat, whole spelt, whole kamut and whole rye flour. 

Dates and Walnuts...
I make the multigrain bread and add organic chopped dates and organic chopped walnuts. It makes a great breakfast bread or an afternoon snack. 

Pita...
When I travelled (twice) to Egypt years ago, I fell in love with the antiquities, the people, and the artisanal pita bread, called AISH BALADI in Egypt. The pita in Canada is a flat bread like a tortilla from fast industrial production. So I learned to make sourdough pita at home, the Egyptian way with good texture, good weight, and a great taste. I told a local shawarma restaurant owner that I make sourdough pita at home, and she piped up immediately: "Yes, it is so good, like the real pita!"

Ciabatta...
Ciabatta is an Italian white bread made from wheat flour, water, olive oil, and salt, created in 1982 in response to the popularity of French baguettes. My version is a small rectangular bun. You can cut the top half off to make a sandwich. It has a great taste and chewy texture.

Ezekiel...
Ezekiel bread is a traditional recipe using whole sprouted grains and legume flours. Read more here. I make an Ezekiel style of bread by following the same recipe, except that my flours are not from sprouted grains and I use three legume flours (black beans, green lentils, chick peas.) The texture is wonderful and the taste is great. It is my favourite breakfast bread. 

Keto...
The ketogenic diet (or keto diet, for short) is a low-carb, high-fat diet that offers many health benefits. Read more here... And here is an in-depth beginner guide to the Keto diet. Being low-carb, people avoid bread made from cereals. So I found a Keto bread recipe that does not use cereals, so it is also gluten free. We use almond flour, flax meal and eggs for protein, and various fibers and ingredients for textures.  This is not a sourdough bread as it needs yeast to rise. I wrote gluten free as defined by the recipe, but my kitchen still handles cereals, so beware of a low risk of unintentional contamination. 

Non Gluten...
I have a starter feeding on quinoa flour. The bread contains rice, sorghum, and buckwheat flours. And I add some caraway for flavour. The feedback is great: the typical sour taste of sourdough, nice texture, holds together to make toast, a bit dense as all non gluten breads are. But caution: I still have gluten in the kitchen.

Pumpernickel...
I start with the regular whole grain rye bread, but I replace the water with milk. Then I add caraway seed and a bit of molasses. It is a smooth tasting rye bread, slightly sweet, with a pleasure of the taste of caraway seed.  

Bagels...
With some experimentation, my bagels are coming along nicely. Take the chance and order some. 

Baguettes...
This chewy French baguette is a classic white sourdough. The combination of the sourdough method with milk instead of water gives the bread an extra sour taste and lovely texture. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside is what the chef ordered. 

Fougasse...
This fancy French bread is a social delight. It is somewhat flat with ribs and gaps. It tears apart easily for great sharing. The sourdough delight starts with half white wheat flour and half whole wheat flour. Then I add  fresh organic garlic, fresh cooked green onions, and herbes de Provence.

Flavours...
With any of the flours mentioned above, we can add lots of flavours:
  • organic old cheddar cheese.
  • organic oregano herbs and organic sundried tomatoes.
  • organic raisins, white almonds, and a touch or organic cinnamon.
  • organic sunflower seeds.
  • organic sesame seeds.
  • organic flax seeds.
  • organic Kalamon black olives with garlic and basil.
  • organic bitter sweet chocolate and cranberry in Kamut flour.
  • organic bitter sweet chocolate with orange zest and ginger in Kamut flour.
  • organic bitter sweet chocolate with hot pepers in Kamut flour.
  • organic lavender in the rye bread.
  • and many more options....

Any Shape...
Order your bread in any shape:
  • the round artisanal loaf with or without the circle pattern of flour on the top.
  • ​the traditional loaf pan shape.
  • ​a whole loaf or a half loaf.

Why Sourdough Bread?

Sourdough bread has so many advantages. 
  • The taste is great, compared to the plain sweet taste of commercial bread with yeast.
  • The texture is chewy elastic, and does not fall apart, making it great for sandwiches and dips. 
  • Not only does live culture improve the flavor, but the bread stays fresh after baking, much longer than factory bread and doesn’t require any extra preservatives to ward off mold.
  • Sourdough is a fermented food, similar to sauerkraut, kefir, pickles, and kombucha, by using lactobacillus cultures (a probiotic, aka bacteria that benefits your gut).
  • The fermentation produces lactic acid, and that does the body a whole lot of good. Lactic acid helps decrease the levels of phytic acid in bread (phytic acid interferes with the absorption of certain nutrients, which is a bad thing). This in turn, helps other nutrients become more readily available, digestible and absorbable. 
  • The carbohydrates and the starches in commercial breads are quickly digested. This produces a high glycemic response, meaning that your blood sugar spikes quickly after eating. But the fermentation process in sourdough lowers the glycemic index and makes it a great low GI bread.

More Questions?

How do I preserve my loaf of sourdough bread?
  • Sourdough bread keeps very well thanks to the fermentation process, the low PH of the dough, the high cooking temperature, and the freshness. Keep the loaf in the plastic bag for up to a week. As the days pass, the loaf may dry out slightly or become stiff. Just drop a slice in the toaster briefly and bring out the crispness, the elastic texture, and the flavour. 

Can I freeze the bread?
  • Sourdough bread freezes very well and keeps its texture and taste. Freeze a whole or half loaf, or cut your slices before freezing. Thaw it out on the counter in the bag, drop a slice in the toaster briefly.

What about consistency?
  • I understand that many people like consistency in a product from one batch to the next. But the beauty of artisanal sourdough bread is the artisanal character. It is not supposed to be overly consistent. Yes, I try to be consistent, but there are many variables that I cannot completely control in a home environment and they all affect the end result: ambient temperature, humidity in the air, air flow in the oven, distractions, the activity level in the culture. 
  • Furthermore, I will make some small mistakes and the details will affect the result. I am not inclined to throw out good bread that is not consistent. So I lump it in with the concept of artisanal. With time and practice, I improve my methods, learn from mistakes, try new ideas, and become progressively more consistent. 

Is sourdough bread gluten free?
  • No. We still use glutenous grains: wheat, kamut, spelt, rye. The fermentation does not remove the gluten. So a celiac person must still avoid sourdough bread.

What if I am sensitive to wheat?
  • Sensitivity to wheat is a digestion problem, not an allergy. Fermented foods help with digestion - read more here. I have heard people tell me (no guarantees) that they are fine with sourdough bread whereas they have problems digesting commercial breads. 

Is Tom's Pantry an inspected kitchen?
  • No. I make bread out of my home kitchen and it is not inspected by the regional public health officer, under the exemption for food vendors at a farmers market. Nevertheless, I took the course on safe food handling and I have implemented the food safety measures as best as I can in the context of a home kitchen.

What allergies should I be concerned with?
  • Each loaf is packaged with a label, so please read the list of ingredients for possible allergens.
  • As my kitchen is in the house, we have to deal with our home environment. We have a dog in the house. We eat other foods so there are allergens in the house. But I apply good sanitation and segregation to reduce the risk of cross contamination.
  • Some of our breads contain almonds, flax, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, oregano, cinnamon, cheese, thyme, raisons, olives, olive oil, dairy, rice flour.
  • Dairy products are present in the Keto bread, the Pumpernickle, the French Baguette, and the cheese flavoured breads. 
  • Eggs are present in the Keto bread.
  • We do not use seafood, shellfish, soy, or peanuts, but they are present in the house.