Marcus Winnick is a baker with a difference.
His famed sourdough bread is made from a mother culture that is 40 years old and he has studied his craft with the world’s best in Europe.
Marcus operates Gippsland Wild Yeast Bakery at Morwell and as a wholesaler, sells direct to farmers’ markets and select businesses in Morwell, Traralgon South and Warragul.
“I make sourdough from scratch that is free of baker’s yeast, dairy and soy, and is suitable for vegans. There are no added bread improvers or fats,” he said.
Each loaf takes between 24 and 30 hours to make as it’s naturally fermented and hand-crafted.
“It’s the old, old style that I use to make my sourdough. My bread has lower hydration so you taste more of the bread,” Marcus said.
“It’s rewarding after playing around with the bread to see the final product and to know that nutritionally it’s very good for you as well. I’m conscious about what I feed people.”
His roast pumpkin and rosemary loaves are made with slow-roasted pumpkin that he makes into a soup before baking with it.
The mother culture is fed with flour and water every second day to produce the wild yeast that underpins the distinctive flavour of his loaves. As a result, the bread is not hard on one’s teeth when toasted.
The former butcher began baking in 2007. A highlight of Marcus’ career came in 2011 when he won a national competition as a first year apprentice. The prize - a scholarship to Europe that took him to the famed Lesaffre bakery in Paris and the Europain world baking expo, where he learnt from some of the world’s finest.
Marcus founded Gippsland Wild Yeast Bakery a year ago and now bakes in Morwell, supplying Marino Deli and So Swish Café in Morwell, the Traralgon South General Store (via customers pre-ordering), Café Thyme Out in Trafalgar and Gippsland Fresh Wholesale in Warragul.
He can also be found at these farmers’ markets when they’re operating: Warragul, Coal Creek at Korumburra, Koonwarra, Mirboo North and Akoonah Park at Berwick.
“Latrobe City has such a European background. People are very knowledgeable about good breads and that’s why it’s a great place to sell sourdough,” Marcus said.
COVID has impacted his sales however, with farmers’ markets cancelled or receiving less patronage, but Marcus remains passionate about his business and minimising physical contact with retailers to ensure the health of all.
“The one thing that I’ve learnt about COVID is that anything can happen. COVID came out of nowhere. It taught me to streamline my business and to find cost savings, so this why I have simplified my business model by supplying only to a few stores.”
Find Gippsland Wild Yeast Bakery on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturalwildyeast/