Of Sourdough, Microbes, and Hands

[BakerAunt]

Here is a fascinating story on "bakers' hands":

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/11/12/665655220/sourdough-hands-how-bakers-and-bread-are-a-microbial-match

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[Mike Nolan]

Not all that surprising, tests on sourdough cultures have shown that after a few months the microbes in it will match the local atmosphere. So that 'San Francisco starter' you bought most likely only kept its San Francisco heritage for a few weeks.

[BakerAunt]

I'm waiting for the best selling mystery novel where the scientist, who is an ace baker on the side, determines, using microbes, which baker committed the murder!

[Mike Nolan]

I've never actually watched it, but there's a show on cable called "Murder, She Baked".

There are also the Lucy Burdette "Key West Food Critic" mysteries. (I haven't read any of them yet, but was a big fan of the Emma Lathen series 30 years ago, the protagonist being a Wall Street banker.)

I had a dream recently in which baking played a prominent role in a series of strange events, I'm not sure if there's enough for a book length story, but I added it to my ideas folder. (I'm currently doing some outlining and background research for a novel on a different subject.)

[Joan Simpson]

Very interesting!

[BakerAunt]

Of course, the murderer will try to obscure guilt by wearing special gloves for kneading, and perhaps sneaking into another bakery to make the sourdough starter there....

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