Cherry Valley

Sourdough Is in the Snacky Spotlight at This Bread-Themed Bash

Highland Springs Ranch and Inn is honoring the blissful breadstuff over several late-winter weekends.

Eva-Katalin

What to Know

  • Sourdough Bread Festival at 123 Farm, part of Highland Springs Ranch and Inn in Cherry Valley
  • Feb. 18 through March 19 (Saturdays and Sundays only)
  • Free entry; parking, food, drinks, and workshops are additional

LOVELY LOAVES, thick slices, chunky croutons, the little soft torn bits from the very center of the boule: We do love sourdough, that carb-y, ultra-cool superstar, a filling favorite rocking plenty of California cred and character to spare. Some of the best sourdough bread is truly quite sour, but there are airier examples as well as plenty of devotees of a denser dough. And attempting to decide if you want to go with olive oil, butter, jam, slices of ham, a salty caponata, or just about any other spread you can dream up? That's about as tricky as naming your ultimate style of sourdough, which few all-around bread buffs could do. What isn't tricky, however, is being instantly entranced by the tempting notion of a full-on food festival devoted to bread, specifically that sour-strong genre that has ruled our plates, and fueled our appetites, for a long, long time. And that festival will begin to bake in Cherry Valley, giving lovers of the staff of life lots to anticipate, and eat, over the last few weekends of winter.

HIGHLAND SPRINGS RANCH & INN... is famous for its multi-weekend to-dos, like the fall-festive light display and the lavender lark that pops up in May and June. But the end of February and the first few weekends of March is all about sourdough bread at the destination, which is home to 123 Farm, a foodie favorite. Admission to the Sourdough Bread Festival is complimentary, parking has a fee (you can purchase in advance), and the snacks? You'll want to have funds for those, of course. Sourdough brownies are one intriguing menu item, but other popular standards, like pizza, will be available for purchase. Workshops, including one devoted to people new to the world of baking sourdough, are on the schedule, as are lectures covering fermentation and other "sour" subjects (the classes do have a fee and may fill up ahead of time, while the lectures are free).

THE FINAL WEEKEND? That's easy to remember: It's the last weekend of winter, so be sure to visit on a Saturday and Sunday before spring blooms.

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