Thomasina Miers, a home baker of many years, has put eight supermarket sourdough loaves to the test, evaluating their flavour, texture, and overall quality. While she was pleasantly surprised by several offerings, she noted that none declared salt content on packaging, which significantly impacts taste. She also criticised the lack of information about pesticide and herbicide use in most loaves, except for Wildfarmed.
The top-rated loaf, Jason's Sourdough (available at Ocado and Tesco for £2/450g), scored five stars. Miers praised its great flavour, delicate tang, and crumb that stayed fresh for several days, making excellent breadcrumbs and bruschetta. It was described as the best-looking of the bunch with real provenance.
Other notable loaves included a bloomer with a nice tangy flavour but dense crumb, and a loaf made from a 12-year-old starter with good texture and airy crumb. A San Francisco-style loaf with a 30-year-old starter had a faint tang and open crumb, while a rye blend loaf was criticised for its flat appearance and dense texture.
Lower-rated loaves included one with a glossy egg wash and dense crumb, described as lacking typical sourdough character, and another with uniform appearance and solid texture that Miers did not enjoy. Overall, she found that supermarket sourdoughs varied widely, with a few offering excellent value and quality.
