Baking Sourdough in Bend, Oregon

David Anthes lives in Bend, Oregon, where he enjoys spending his free time baking artisan bread and pastries in his home kitchen. What began as a simple curiosity has grown into a hobby built on patience, repetition, and attention to detail. He enjoys the process as much as the finished product, finding satisfaction in refining recipes through small, consistent improvements.

His favorite projects include naturally leavened sourdough, rustic country loaves, crusty baguettes, and seasonal pastries. Rather than relying on complicated formulas, David prefers high quality ingredients and repeatable methods. He keeps detailed notes on hydration percentages, fermentation schedules, baking temperatures, and flour combinations, using each bake as an opportunity to learn something new.

David first became interested in bread making after tasting a homemade sourdough loaf shared by a friend. His early attempts fell far short of what he hoped to achieve, but the challenge kept him coming back. Each batch taught him something different, from understanding starter activity to recognizing how temperature and humidity affect fermentation. As his skills developed, baking became part of his regular routine rather than an occasional weekend project.

Although he spends hours perfecting recipes, David has never viewed baking as a business. Nearly everything he makes is shared with family, neighbors, coworkers, and friends. He enjoys seeing people gather around fresh bread more than producing large quantities, and he prefers the slower pace of baking for people he knows.

Away from the kitchen, David enjoys exploring Central Oregon. He spends time hiking local trails around Bend, visiting farmers markets, and searching for regional bakeries that offer new ideas and techniques. He also enjoys reading baking books and learning from experienced bakers who explain the science behind fermentation, dough development, and bread structure in practical, straightforward terms.

For David, baking is less about perfection and more about steady progress. Every loaf provides another opportunity to improve a technique, adjust a process, or better understand how simple ingredients work together. The routine offers a welcome balance to everyday life, and sharing fresh bread with others continues to be one of the most rewarding parts of the hobby.