Gumushane Bread Product Description and Distinctive Features: Gümüşhane Bread is a traditional bread prepared by combining wheat flour, water, fresh baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and 15-30% sourdough. The dough is baked in unique stone ovens typical to the region. These ovens are crafted entirely from mud and stones by skilled local artisans specialized in stone oven construction. The oven’s upper dome consists of stones or tiles arranged in a gradually narrowing circle, while the base is made from natural stone. Wood from local forests, including pine, spruce, and oak, is used as fuel for baking. This traditional baking method gives Gümüşhane Bread its distinct aroma and rich flavor. Gümüşhane Bread is typically round and weighs between 2 kg and 5 kg. It contains 15-30% sourdough, and its pH level usually ranges around 5.5±1.0, depending on the amount of sourdough used. A unique characteristic of Gümüşhane Bread is its large size and density, which requires a slow baking process at low temperatures in traditional stone ovens to effectively release internal moisture. As a result, the bread develops a crust that averages between 5-10 mm thick. This thicker crust helps the bread retain moisture inside for a longer time, slowing down the staling process compared to ordinary bread and extending its freshness and shelf life. Thanks to the inclusion of sourdough and the bread’s naturally high acidity, mold growth is uncommon throughout its shelf life, which is considerably longer than that of standard bread. The thick crust also helps preserve the bread’s rich aroma and flavor over time. When sliced and either reheated or baked again into rusks, these aromatic and taste qualities are revived, maintaining its enjoyable consumption quality. With its substantial crust thickness, volume, and weight, Gümüşhane Bread typically contains about 41±2.0% moisture, 10-14% protein, and 1.2±0.2% salt. Production Method: The traditional step-by-step fermentation technique is applied for preparing the sourdough. To begin, a portion of the bread dough (usually about 1-2 kg, kept in glass containers depending on the total dough amount) is left covered to ferment naturally for around 12 hours overnight. During this time, the yeast and other dominant microorganisms multiply rapidly, developing a rich microbial flora. The next morning, additional bread wheat flour (approximately 10% of the final dough) and enough water to form dough are mixed in, and the mixture is left to ferment again for about 3-4 hours. This resulting sourdough, making up roughly 10-15% of the mixture, is then incorporated into the fresh bread dough. Bread Dough Preparation: The bread dough is made by combining bread wheat flour, water (about 58-60% of the flour weight), 1.5% salt, 2-3% fresh bread yeast, and the prepared sourdough (10-15%). The dough is then allowed to ferment further for 3-4 hours during bulk fermentation. Afterward, the dough is divided into portions of approximately 4-5 kg and shaped into round loaves with the aid of water. Baking Process: Wood from forest trees such as pine, spruce, oak, and others is burned inside the stone ovens to produce hot embers. These embers are pushed against the oven walls, heating them while clearing space for placing the dough. Once the oven door is opened, the dough pieces are carefully placed on the oven floor using a baker’s peel, then the door is closed. Thanks to the dough's substantial mass, a slow baking process of 2-4 hours is used in the stone ovens to allow the bread to gradually release its internal moisture.