The Quiet Craft of Sourdough

The starter is called Marta, and it is older than the bakery that feeds it. It has survived three moves, one power cut, and the pandemic, and it is, by every measure, the most valuable asset in the building. Four bakers, four kitchens, one starter. We followed Marta through a week of loaves — the overnight rise, the gentle fold, the score that decides how the crust will bloom. None of it is fast. All of it is quiet. Bread is the rare craft that rewards patience with visible proof. The camera, too, has to wait for the same moment: the split second of steam before the crust sets, when the loaf is at its most alive.