Local Sourdough; Bargain Produce
San Francisco may have the reputation of a great sourdough city, but Santa Ana doesn’t do too badly for itself, either. There the Gold Coast Baking Co. is turning out golden, crusty loaves that are babied from starter to finish.
Mark Press, Gold Coast president, says it takes 29 to 36 hours to turn out a batch. Most of that time is devoted to fermentation, which is the key to the rich tang. “A mellow sour that stays with you is the ideal,” Press says.
The risen bread is hand-slashed, then popped into the oven, where it undergoes a 20-second spurt of steam. As the crust browns, little blisters called fish-eyes develop. This indicates properly fermented sourdough.
Press started the Santa Ana bakery in July, 1989, with three employees, counting his wife and himself. Now the business has grown to 14 production workers and six trucks. Press distributes to markets, restaurants, hotels and delis throughout Orange County and will soon expand to Los Angeles. “It took off real fast,” he says, looking with pride around the spotless new 8,200-square-foot plant that is more than twice the size of the original facility.
Press fell in love with sourdough while operating a kitchenware shop in San Francisco. Told that the tangy bread couldn’t be made elsewhere, Press did it anyway, at a bakery in Seattle. He sold his share of that business to return to Southern California, where he grew up.
The bread does, in some degree, owe its character to San Francisco because the mother starter comes from there. The bacteria are thriving on Santa Ana water, which is similar, Press says, in PH and mineral content to what they were exposed to up north. On those rare occasions when severe weather retards their growth, Press adds a touch of yeast to give the starter a boost. Sugar and preservatives are never added, though. The high-gluten flour comes from Montana spring wheat.
Orange County stores that carry Gold Coast bread include selected Alpha Beta, Albertsons, Hughes and Lucky markets, Tustin Farmer’s Market, Walker’s Market in Tustin, Pacific Ranch Markets in Orange and Laguna Niguel, and Cortina’s Italian Deli in Anaheim. Costco Wholesale outlets have the bread too. The price is about $1.69 for a one-pound loaf, 89 cents for a half-pound stick or round.
Gold Coast also makes whole-wheat and French breads and focaccia that is flavored with herbs and garlic. “But our number one bread by a long shot,” Press says, “is sourdough.”
Gold Coast Baking Co., 1972 E. McFadden Ave., Santa Ana. (714) 543-1988.
Despite snow, hail, wind and rain, there is good news on the produce front. Warmer temperatures have benefited Castroville artichokes, bringing about a better supply and better prices. Asparagus, coming from Stockton, also will be more plentiful and reasonably priced. Although rain has damaged strawberries, plants from Oxnard south are in good condition; this means increased yield in the weeks ahead and lower prices. Guacamole lovers can indulge freely in the Mexican dip because California-grown Hass avocados are plentiful. And San Diego is turning out a good crop of zucchini.
On the other hand, cabbage, which dropped to bargain prices before St. Patrick’s Day, has suffered from the rain, decreasing the crop and raising the price. And bad weather has made it difficult to harvest Imperial Valley carrots, causing high prices. Red and green sweet peppers are costly, but prices should improve in a few weeks when Coachella Valley provides competition to the Mexican peppers now on the market.