San Francisco's sourdough is 'culinary symbol' and part of 49ers culture

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Until the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which helped bring home baking to new areas of the country, sourdough bread was largely synonymous with one American city: San Francisco.

Even the San Francisco 49ers mascot – a staple at home games since the mid-1990s – is named Sourdough Sam. His favorite food, according to the team's website, is "clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl."

But what connects sourdough and San Francisco? Fox News Digital reached out to the CEO of one of the city's most storied bakeries to find out more about this culinary classic.

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"Sourdough bread is a type of bread made by fermenting dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast," Dan Giraudo, CEO of Boudin Bakery, told Fox News Digital.

Boudin Bakery was founded in 1849 and celebrated its 175th anniversary this year. 

Sourdough Sam (left), the mascot of the San Francisco 49ers, said his favorite food is clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl (right), according to the team's website.  (Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Boudin Bakery)

It is San Francisco's oldest continuously operating company and is home of "the original San Francisco sourdough," Giraudo said via email. 

The fermentation process behind sourdough, Giraudo said, gives the bread "a distinctive tangy flavor and chewy texture." 

"He created a unique sourdough bread using the natural wild yeast found in San Francisco's climate."

Boudin Bakery has been making sourdough bread in San Francisco since 1849, Giraudo said, when a French baker named Isidore Boudin arrived in the city.

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"He created a unique sourdough bread using the natural wild yeast found in San Francisco's cool fog climate, which gave the bread a signature flavor," Giraudo said.

That specific wild yeast, known by its scientific name, "lactobacillus sanfranciscensis," is what makes San Francisco's sourdough bread so unique. 

Boudin Bakery has been making sourdough bread in San Francisco since 1849, using the wild yeast found in the city.  (Boudin Bakery)

"This wild yeast, combined with traditional techniques, led to a distinct variety of sourdough that became a culinary symbol of the city," Giraudo said. 

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Boudin Bakery has been using the same "mother dough" sourdough starter since 1849, Giraudo told Fox News Digital.

A woman is all smiles as she eats clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl in San Francisco. (iStock)

"This starter is carefully maintained and has been fed daily to preserve its natural flavors and wild yeast culture," he said. 

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"This continuity and attention to tradition set Boudin's sourdough apart from others, giving it a taste and texture that are hard to replicate." 

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Today, Boudin Bakery has locations throughout California, including at San Francisco International Airport and a replica bakery at Disney California Adventure. 

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Its flagship location, at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, offers tours. 

Boudin Bakery & Cafe's flagship location is at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. (Boudin Bakery)

Boudin Bakery, Giraudo said, "is more than just a bakery. It's a piece of San Francisco's history." 

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"Our journey from a small bakery to a renowned institution is a testament to our enduring legacy and commitment to quality," he said.