Hello there, I’m Maurizio, an author and software engineer turned baker, crafting sourdough bread and pizza in Albuquerque, New Mexico for over a decade. Growing up in an Italian family, our lives revolved around good food made by hand. From my dad’s restaurant pizzas to my mom’s homemade gnocchi, I learned to appreciate slow, homemade food. Summers in Italy, filled with family meals and fresh bread hunts, further shaped this value.
The Perfect Loaf, which I founded in 2013, combines my analytical mind with my passion for good food and shares my sourdough journey. Sourdough bread embodies my belief that exceptional taste comes from patience and natural processes. It’s not about complicated techniques, but about giving flavors time to develop.
Here, I aim to help you become a better baker, as I constantly evolve in the kitchen. I’m constantly learning, experimenting, and sharing insights – because if I’m not baking sourdough, I’m probably thinking about it, always in pursuit of that elusive perfect loaf.
He strives for perfection, for the perfect loaf, secretly hoping never to attain it — for where would he go from there?
Jeffrey Hamelman
If you have a burning baking question, I usually hang out with many like-minded—and very helpful!—bakers on The Perfect Loaf’s Discord, where you can post questions, comments, and photos. Come join the community and ask a question.
Or, email Maurizio directly.
The Perfect Loaf is the leading independent sourdough baking website and was launched in 2013 by home baker Maurizio Leo.
The Perfect Loaf is a two-time Saveur Magazine Blog Award winner, winning both Editors’ and Readers’ Choice Awards in 2016, and a Readers’ Choice Award in 2018. In 2019, The Perfect Loaf was nominated for a Webby Award.
In 2022, Maurizio’s cookbook, The Perfect Loaf: The Craft and Science of Sourdough Breads, Sweets, and More, made the New York Times’ bestseller list.
The Perfect Loaf cookbook won a 2023 James Beard Foundation Book Award in the Bread category and a 2023 IACP Cookbook Award in the Baking category.
As an Amazon Influencer, The Perfect Loaf earns from qualifying purchases. Please see the policy for more.
477 Comments
Hi Maurizio, what is the significance of San Francisco style sourdough? What makes it special? Do you have any posted recipes that are comparable?
Thanks!
– Mike in Michigan
I think the biggest association there is the extreme sourness. They push things to the limit in terms of that tangy, sour flavor and it’s their calling card. I don’t have any recipes here for a super sour sourdough bread but it’s something I’m working on!
Can you freeze sourdough dough to bake later?
I don’t usually do this, but some readers have said it works well if you freeze pizza dough in shape, bomboloni in bulk, etc.
I do! I still work on our app, SkyView 🙂 Great to hear from a fellow dev!
I would go for the square one, and really either thickness works very well. I’d probably go with the 3/8″ option (it’s a little lighter and easier to move)!
Hi, which baking steel do you recommend? I am clicking on the link you have under “Baking Tools”. There is a round or square option, and a 1/2″ or 3/8″ option. Which one do you recommend?
That’s great to hear, Flai! I’m happy to help. I don’t yet have a bagel recipe up, but it’s something I’ll be working on (hopefully sooner rather than later!) 🙂
Hi Maurizio I’ve been trying quite a number of your super tasty recipes over the last 12 months; thanks so much for starting this website! Whilst I was looking through your recipe list I realize you have not put up at bagel recipe there. Any chance you might include a bagel recipe? I love bagels with cream cheese along with smoked salmon.
Hello Maurizio,
I just stumbled on your site and realized we are both in ABQ. I’m returning to sourdough baking after a long lapse and have been following in Ken Forkish’ Flour Water Salt Yeast book. I’m glad that your recipes are adapted to high altitude. I’ve found that reducing yeast by about half works pretty well (for 5200′ asl), but it is always a bit of a puzzle.
A thought on flour: I have been able to get small amounts of Navajo Pride unbleashed AP flour here in Albuquerque. It is excellent, grown and milled in Farmington NM at the Navajo Agriculture Project. They also make a whole wheat that I haven’t been able to get hold of.
Hey, David! It’s great to hear from a fellow New Mexican. That’s awesome you’re using that flour — I’ve heard of it but haven’t had a chance to try it. I used to use Sangre de Cristo which was really nice. I’ll have to keep my eye out for NP flour!
Have just stumbled across this website after thinking of things I can do in self isolation here in London! Not sure what it’s like in the States but there is no bread or yeast on the shelves. Sourdough all the way! Wish me luck!
Same situation here! Have fun, stay healthy, and enjoy — you’ll love what you bake!
Absolutely! I do this all the time 🙂
when your starter is established, can you use the discarded part to make a sourdough starter to gift to a friend?
That’s totally fine, you can certainly use them mixed together in some ratio!
Generally, the protein percentage will play a pretty large roll in the hydration of the dough and ultimately how strong it is/feels. At 15%, you’re working with an extremely strong flour, in fact, that’s higher than I’ve ever used (I’ll have to remember this for panettone!). I like CM ABC because it’s a lower protein but perfectly suitable for bread making — I like lower protein because, to me, it yields a bread that’s more tender, creamy. You could mix ABC with their High Mountain offering, which is 13% protein, and this is typically what I do when I need additional strength in a dough. High Mountain is similar to a “bread flour” you might find in the store (like King Arthur Bread Flour).
Sounds good about the starter! Activity like that is what you’re after 🙂
Have fun!
Thanks. I just bought BOTH the CM ABC and the pizza flour. Apples and oranges, not interchangeable.
Wow, if you have done the La Luz trail, then I bow to you. My days of hiking at these altitudes are behind me. I do LOVE my adopted state, New Mexico. We are even thinking about building an outdoor horno-style pizza oven that will double as a bread oven.
I do have another question. I am looking at making a Central Milling flour purchase, and I am wondering if a flour with a high protein content of 15% (Tony Gemignani’s pizza flour, for example) could be substituted for the Organic Artisan Baker’s Craft Plus which has 11.5% protein. Does the protein content effect the final product dramatically? I’m staring at having to store 100 lbs. of flour if I buy both. ‘Twould be cool if one flour worked for both . . . .
One more thing: I drained off the hooch on top of my refrigerated starter, added warm water and bread flour (heavy batter consistency) and my starter is now behaving like it’s on steroids, all bubbly and happy after 2 hours. I think a second feeding may blow the lid off! Actually, while I wait for all my supplies to arrive (thanks for all the links to Amazon) I’ll just put it back in the fridge.
Sorry if this has been answered before, but what do I do with the liquid (hooch) that forms on top of my refrigerated sourdough starter? Do I pour it off or stir it back in? I feed my refrigerated starter about once a week but if I don’t get to it for two weeks (or more) quite a bit of liquid accumulates.
I am so excited to have found this website! I live in East Mountain and you are local! I look forward to reading high altitude baking tips. We’re at 6800 ft. and I am learning to make adjustments for this altitude. Do you buy your Central Milling products locally? If so, where? Thank you!
Stephanie — I usually stir it back in if there’s not a lot, but you can also pour it out if you’d like. Either way is just fine. Check out my sourdough starter FAQ for more questions and answers like this one!
That’s great, wow you’re really up there! But I guess the Sandia Mountains do get up to 10,000 ft (I’ve hiked it many times!). I order quite a bit from Central Milling online, but not locally.
Hope that helps and happy baking!
Hey, Douglass. No need to add gluten (I assume you mean vital wheat gluten), I’ve never done this in any of my breads. Some bakers find it necessary if their flour isn’t totally suitable for making bread, but I haven’t found this necessary. Thanks for the kind words and happy baking!
Thank you sir!!
A quick question if I might. When making Sourdough, does it help at all to add some gluten along the way? Your site is fantastic – so much great information. Thank you.
There are not enough hours in a day for me to keep up with all the helpful information you have made available! Every time I make another loaf, I conclude it’s my favorite until I make the next one. My family is pretty addicted to the barley loaf, at the moment. I’m going to buy a baking steel. The link on your tool site has three options: 1/2 inch, 3/8 inch and the “original.” Do you have a recommendation?
Thanks so much, Ken! That makes me happy to hear your comments. There’s really no end to the fun and experimenting in sourdough, I say. As for the Baking Steel, any thickness will work, go with the cheapest option — they all work very well!
Happy baking and thanks again!
You’re very welcome Cindy, I’m glad to hear I could help and that things are going well in your kitchen. Happy baking!
I’ve recently taken up great interest in baking, and I really want to be able to bake a nice loaf of bread. I found your site to be incredibly helpful for newbie like myself. Thank you for taking the time to share with me your experiences and outcome of your bake!
Hey, Saundra! I can relate to sleepless nights thinking about a starter… happens here frequently 🙂 It’s great to hear from a fellow New Mexican! Unfortunately I don’t know of any stores here in ABQ that are dedicated to baking. There’s a store in Santa Fe called Modern General you might want to visit: they have a cool collection of wares and might have some baking goods. It’s a nice little cafe for lunch, too. And while you’re here in ABQ, check out Los Poblanos, they have a Farm Shop that has lots of handmade goods and just might have some baking stuff as well. Los Poblanos is also a fantastic place to eat (you might need reservations for dinner). Have a good trip and happy baking!
Thank you for the info!
I came across your blog on this sleepless night. What a treasure of information. I couldn’t sleep and just wanted get up and go check my starter. For the first time I am trying to change it to half whole wheat, and just really had to see how it looked. At 3am it is looking wonderful, and I am waiting for the rest of the house to wake up so I can start baking. I was so excited to see that you are in Albuquerque. I am traveling down from Taos and was wondering if you have a recommendation for a store I can get some baking equipment, specifically a proofing basket, and flour, because I guess I need to up my game in that department.
Really glad to hear that, Sabrina! Yes, here in Abq, NM that’s a real issue for me, too. I don’t like to put any lotion on my hands when dealing with dough (of course!) but after my last set of stretch and folds I lather up with O’Keefs hand cream — that stuff is the best!
Maurizio, my baking has grown leaps and bounds since I discovered your site – thank you! Being successful at sourdough baking brings joy to my soul. Real talk, though – how do you keep your hands from drying and cracking?? I live in northern AZ and all this stretching and folding is taking a toll on my skin! What’s your secret? 🙂
Thank you and you’re very welcome. You’re right, old habits die hard! Regarding our app SkyView, there are three of us ☺️
Do you still do any dev work? I’m an iOS dev, too 🙂