A Cottage Food Operation is a licensed bakery run out of a home-kitchen. It operates under several guidelines some of which restrict me from using certain ingredients that the Department of Consumer Protection deem hazardous (such as cheese and meat). Please keep this in mind when placing orders.

Ashie’s Bread Co. products are made in a Cottage Food Operation that is not subject to Routine Government Food Safety Inspection.

Ordering window: Sunday-Thursday (orders must be received and paid for by 12pm ET on Thursdays)

Pick-up Day: SUNDAY | 3-5PM

Ashie’s Bread Co. is located at 1 Lucy Street, Greenwich, CT 06831. On the corner of Pemberwick Road and Lucy Street.

Special Order Items: orders must be placed 3 weeks in advance of the date needed.

Sourdough has been around for centuries and was the method used to leaven bread. It wasn’t until the 1800’s that commercial yeast was made and used. Sourdough starter is a natural wild yeast and bacteria that ferments and is used to leaven bread. It is a living ingredient that needs to be fed in order to be kept alive. Sourdough bread is known to improve digestion and is said to be digestible by people who have gluten sensitivities. (Please note that I am not a doctor and do not intend this statement to be medical advice.)

No, at this time Ashie’s Bread Co. products are only available for local pick-up in the state of Connecticut.

Ashie’s Bread Co. is not a gluten free or nut free bakery. Baked goods are made on shared equipment that also produces baked goods that contain peanuts and tree nuts and other allergens.

Purchase your Ashie’s Dehydrated Sourdough Starter and you’ll be making your own creations in no time!

How long does it take to make a loaf of bread? It can take anywhere between as few as 4-6 hours to as long as 24-48 hours. A lot of it depends on the temperature of your environment, temperature of your ingredients, and how “sour” you want your products to be. The longer your dough ferments, the more sour it will taste. Note: your “bulk fermentation” starts the moment your dough ingredients hit the bowl when you are mixing. Keep note of the time you start. Also, everything changed for me when I learned how to notice the changes in the dough rather than looking at the clock. It is going to take much longer to bulk ferment in the winter than it is in your kitchen in the hot days of summer.

What are inclusions and what is lamination? Inclusions are any ingredients you want to add to your bread to flavor it. For example, shredded cheddar cheese and jalapeño pepper, chocolate chips, or olives and rosemary to name a few. You can incorporate these inclusions in a couple of ways. First is to mix them in when you are doing your stretch and folds. You would simply spread the inclusions on the top of the dough ball when you are stretching and folding your dough. The other way is to laminate. This means after you have performed all of your stretch and folds and are at the stage after bulk fermentation has finished, you are ready to shape your dough. You stretch it out to a rectangle shape and spread the ingredients all over the surface of the dough. Then you will fold your dough add more of the inclusions and keep folding until you shaped your dough into a ball. Take care not to be too rough you don’t want to tear the dough. 

What kind of water should I use? Always always always filtered water. The chemicals from tap water, specifically chlorine, will inhibit the growth of bacteria you need in your starter for it to ferment properly. In short, it will kill your starter. Even filtering through a standard water filter is better than using the tap. 

What is Autolyse? In a recipe you will see this word used a lot. It really means when you mix just the flour and water in your recipe together before adding the starter and salt and any other ingredients and allowing it to rest for a period of time. This allows your flour to fully incorporate with the water and hydrate fully.