I’m about to write a post on my current bread recipe, and I realized that it probably won’t make sense to most people because there are a few additional steps I do that are unfamiliar to most. Before making the bread, I grind the wheat, then soak it in buttermilk (or other acidic liquid) for 12-24 hours before mixing the ingredients. Here’s why.

This is from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions:

Because they are acidic, buttermilk, cultured milk, yoghurt and whey (as well as lemon juice and vinegar) activate the enzyme phytase, which works to break down phytic acid in the bran of grains. “Sour milk products also provide lactic acid and lactobacilli that help break down complex starches, irritation tannins and difficult-to-digest proteins. Soaking increases vitamin content and makes all the nutrients in grains more available. This method has the further advantage of so softening whole meal flour that the final product is often indistinguishable from one made with white flour.