The Bread Revolution: Why Sourdough Became the Most Political Food in Britain

It is a loaf of bread. It is made from flour, water and salt. It takes about 48 hours to make. It has also, somehow, become one of the most politically charged foods in contemporary Britain.

The case for sourdough is straightforward: it is genuinely better bread. The long fermentation produces a loaf with more complex flavour, better keeping qualities, and a glycaemic profile significantly lower than commercial bread.

The case against is not really about the bread at all. It is about what the bread has come to represent: a consumer consciousness available only to those with the time, money and kitchen to pursue it.