Los Angeles bakeries are embracing slow fermentation techniques, elevating the quality and health benefits of bread and pizza. This trend involves extended fermentation processes, sometimes lasting several days, to enhance flavor, texture, and nutritional value.
Colossus bakery in Long Beach and San Pedro utilizes a 36-hour fermentation process for its sourdough loaves. This method involves both room temperature and cold fermentation to develop lactic acid bacteria, resulting in a tangy flavor and improved nutritional quality.
DannyBoy's Famous Original Pizza in downtown L.A. and Westwood extends pizza dough fermentation to four or five days, a departure from the traditional one-day proofing. This results in a buttery, flaky crust with an airy texture, despite using commercial yeast.
Grá in Historic Filipinotown focuses on sourdough pizza made with a 40-hour fermentation process. Owner Michael McSharry incorporates whole grain and 00 flour, firing the pizza in a wood-burning oven to enhance the natural process and flavor.