Baker’s Spotlight: Pain de Campagne
There’s one bread I bake every single week that always makes me smile. It’s also the bread that gets the most nicknames at the market. Many of you lovingly call it “champagne bread,” while others know it simply as “the traditional sourdough.” Its real name is Pain de Campagne, which in French means country bread. Whatever you prefer to call it, this loaf has become both my customers’ favorite and my own.
Why I Love It
Pain de Campagne is the bread I eat every day. It’s rustic, light, and endlessly versatile. Some mornings I toast a slice with butter and jam. Other times I pair it with soup or salad for lunch. To me, it’s the kind of bread that quietly fits into every part of daily life, which is exactly what it was meant to be in the French countryside for centuries.
This loaf takes its time. The dough begins a 20-hour cold fermentation on Thursday evening and is baked Friday night in preparation for Saturday morning at the Farmers Market. That slow process develops a beautiful open crumb, a pleasant acidity, and a flavor that feels both simple and deeply satisfying.
What Makes Ours Unique
Traditionally, Pain de Campagne was considered “peasant bread” because it was made with flour that still contained part of the bran and germ, unlike the refined white bread that was reserved for the wealthy. Today it has become the bread of choice for sourdough lovers everywhere, appreciated for its depth of flavor and nutritional value.
The difference really begins with the flour I use. Many American-style sourdoughs primarily use white flour as the base, which creates a very light and mild bread. Our Pain de Campagne follows a different path. I use an organic high-extraction flour as the foundation. High-extraction sits between white and whole wheat. It retains some of the bran and germ, which brings more character and nutrition while still keeping the loaf lighter than 100 percent whole wheat. To that, I add 20% whole wheat and 10% whole rye, both organically grown here in North Carolina and stone ground by Carolina Ground. The addition of these whole grain flours adds a depth of flavor that really brings the bread to life. This blend is true to French tradition and gives the loaf a rustic personality that feels distinct yet still approachable.
A Loaf for Everyone
One of the reasons this is our most popular bread at the market is because it feels so familiar. For many people it’s their first step into sourdough, and for others it’s the loaf they cannot leave without. I often say that our Pain de Campagne is like a dependable friend. It shows up every week, it is easy to love, and it always has a place at the table.
I feel grateful that so many of you have welcomed this bread into your homes. It means a lot to know that the same loaf I bake for myself every day has also become the loaf that you share with your families.
~ Marcella