San Francisco's longest continuously operating company, Boudin Bakery, makes one of its most iconic foods: sourdough bread. Even the 49ers mascot is named Sourdough Sam.

San Francisco's signature taste is the tang of its sourdough bread. Hearty sourdough starter fueled the gold-rush pioneers of 1849; its flavor is still tasted today.

Boudin Bakery, established in 1849 — about the time when the California gold rush was just heating up — is credited with codifying the recipe for San Francisco sourdough bread.

Baker also pointed out that San Francisco’s Larraburu bread was made in steam-injected, carborundum stone-lined ovens. The steam was essential to the sourdough’s signature, ultra-crispy crust ...

These miners (now dubbed 49ers) arrived with meager, basic ingredients like flour, yeast, and baking powder. When the baking ...

Loaves of sourdough bread are shown for sale at the flagship Boudin bakery at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009. The original ’49ers came armed with pickaxes, but it ...

Loaves of sourdough bread are shown for sale at the flagship Boudin bakery at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009. The original ’49ers came armed with pickaxes, but it ...