The work behind the bread
The dough has a say.
There's more to making good sourdough than following a recipe.
Raylinda begins each loaf with organic unbleached flour, filtered water, salt, and her natural sourdough starter. She mixes, stretches, folds, and shapes the dough by hand before letting it ferment overnight in the cold.
But the recipe can only tell her so much.
Fermentation requires careful attention. The dough changes with time and temperature, and knowing when it's ready takes practice.
“Learning to read the dough instead of just watching the clock is something that comes with lots of practice!” Raylinda | The 5th Loaf
It's a skill she's developed one loaf at a time.
Meet Raylinda | The 5th Loaf
It started with one loaf.
Before Raylinda began baking sourdough for ROCK, she was already delivering food to our families.
Raylinda knew Andrew and Amy from their old neighborhood. When she was looking for work that fit around caring for her young nephew, Amy invited her to become a ROCK courier.
Around that time, Raylinda began learning to make sourdough in her own kitchen. She kept practicing, learning something with every loaf.
When Andrew heard she'd been baking, he asked to try one. He enjoyed it enough to suggest she make sourdough for ROCK families.
Her first larger order was around twenty loaves, a big step from the three she'd been making at a time. Today, a typical ROCK ordering cycle can mean around fifty loaves, baked in her home oven just three at a time.
Raylinda still delivers for ROCK, too. Some of the families receiving her bread are people she's met along her routes.
“There's something really special about knowing a loaf I made in my kitchen is being enjoyed around another family's table. I never take that for granted.” Raylinda | The 5th Loaf
The meaning behind the name
Why The 5th Loaf?
The name comes from the biblical account of five loaves and two fish.
For Raylinda, it's a reminder that something ordinary can become a blessing when shared.
Her faith has shaped the way she thinks about food, family, and serving others. What began in her own kitchen has become a way to share something she loves making with families throughout North Texas.
As Raylinda says, “I've always believed food is one of the simplest ways to love and serve people.”
At your table
Good bread for an ordinary day.
You don't need a special occasion for good sourdough. Here are a few ways to enjoy Raylinda's artisan loaf throughout the week.
Start with breakfast
Toast a thick slice and serve it with pasture-raised eggs, butter, or your favorite spread.
Bring it to dinner
Serve alongside a bowl of soup or stew. Sometimes a good slice of bread is all a simple meal needs.
Save some for later
Slice and freeze what you won't eat right away. Toast a slice whenever you're ready for it.
Good to know
Sourdough questions, answered.
A few things worth knowing about the ingredients, the process, and caring for your loaf.
What ingredients are in Raylinda's organic sourdough?
Organic unbleached flour, filtered water, and salt. Raylinda uses a natural sourdough starter to leaven the bread. No commercial yeast is added.
Is this sourdough made with commercial yeast?
No. This is naturally leavened sourdough, made using Raylinda's sourdough starter rather than commercial baker's yeast.
Does the sourdough ferment for 24 hours?
Not necessarily. The artisan loaves take approximately two days from start to finish, including overnight cold fermentation. Total preparation time is different from fermentation time.
What makes artisan sourdough different from sandwich bread?
This artisan loaf has a rustic, crisp crust and a chewier interior. It works well for toast, dipping into soup, and open-faced sandwiches. Raylinda also makes a softer sourdough sandwich loaf.
Does this sourdough bread contain gluten?
Yes. It is made with wheat flour and contains gluten. Sourdough fermentation does not make wheat bread gluten-free.
How should I store my sourdough loaf?
Keep it at room temperature in a bread bag or airtight container. For longer storage, slice the bread and freeze it. Avoid refrigerating it, which can make bread stale more quickly.
How can I refresh sourdough after a few days?
Lightly toast a slice to warm the interior and bring back some of the crust's texture. Frozen slices can be toasted as needed.
Who makes The 5th Loaf sourdough?
Raylinda, a North Texas home baker and ROCK courier. She mixes, folds, shapes, scores, and bakes each artisan loaf in her own kitchen.
How can I order this sourdough bread?
The 5th Loaf sourdough is available to eligible ROCK Farmhouse members through local pickup or home delivery in ROCK's North Texas service area. Availability depends on the current ordering cycle.