"Sourdough Jack" Martin

Posted Wed Jan 31, 2007 in Stories

I’ve been a fan of sourdough bread for a long time. I remember asking for it as a kid, not knowing anything about how it was made or why it had that particular taste. All I knew is that I liked the consistency and that slightly sour taste, really more tart than sour, that came with the the fluffy white texture.

Later I started baking bread. I have no idea why I started, only that I did. My favorite mode was sourdough. Somewhere over the years, Wife and I accumulated a book by Sourdough Jack Mabee. I’ve written about that book, about my experience with sourdough, and my search for Sourdough Jack, here and here. So, there’s no real need to repeat those stories here.

But, I received an email recently from a friend of Sourdough Jack. He wrote:

Urban and David:
 
Found your post by accident.
 
I did not have to track down Sourdough Jack Mabee. He was a friend.
 
Years ago I met a wonderful man on Jury Duty who was known as “Sourdough Jack.” He published a couple of great Sourdough Cookery cookbooks which are still highly sought after.

I became a fan of his passion. His name was Jack Mabee and was known as “SOURDOUGH.” A year or so after he died, I was contacted by a friend of Sourdough, who told me Sourdough wanted me to have his Sourdough Starter, his equipment, all he had and knew about his Sourdough Starter.

I have shipped his kits to well over 2,000 Sourdough fans across the country. Am thinking about republished both his books from the 1970’s — and remarketing Sourdough’s Sourdough Starter Kit.

He was a great man, and his 100+ year old Sourdough Yeast is the absolute best I have found — and makes the best goodies anyone has ever had or made.

Sourdough in Seattle,
Martin

So, out of the blue comes a link to Sourdough Jack! I’ve been corresponding with the new Sourdough and he’s going to send me one of Sourdough Jack’s Starter Kits. How cool is that? I may actually have to start baking bread once again, all this time later, using the original Sourdough Jack’s Starter. I’ll have a piece of history, because that Starter is reputed to be more than 100-years old.

There may yet be good baking smells in the Ruminator’s kitchen.