Hands-On Sourdough Workshop in Oshawa: Two Hours to Your First Starter

On a brisk evening in Oshawa, Ontario, the Carriage House comes alive with the smell of toasted flour and warm crusts. The Beginner Sourdough Workshop offers a hands-on, two-hour introduction to wild-yeast baking for anyone ready to learn the basics and take home a living starter. Instructor Melina guides mixed groups—minimum age 13—through each step: mixing, autolyse, stretch-and-fold, shaping and scoring. Participants leave with 125 grams of organic sourdough starter in a Mason jar, a dehydrated backup, a proofing basket, scoring blade and a bowl, plus a recipe booklet that turns the class into repeatable home practice. The room itself is practical and welcoming—set in the estate’s Carriage House with wheelchair access and space for up to 42 people—so you’ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with neighbors and travelers learning the same craft. The schedule is compact: a focused two-hour session, hands-on time making dough that you’ll bake the next day after it proofs. Expect live demos and tasting: focaccia, a chocolate chip loaf and a basic harvest loaf are on offer, plus small bites like a butter board and balsamic-and-oil dipper that show flavor pairings and technique. Check in inside the Gift Shop 10 minutes before class. Parking is limited on-site; the host encourages carpooling and notes additional parking in adjacent neighborhoods and paid spots in Lakeridge Health lots. The experience is practical—there are no refunds—so arrive prepared and ready to learn. Why this workshop stands out: it’s an immersive small-class format led by an instructor who focuses on usable skills rather than formulas alone. You don’t just watch; you shape and carry home the tools to repeat success. The inclusion of a living starter, dehydrated backup and a proofing basket removes the most common barriers for new bakers: access to materials and fear of losing a starter. That makes this class particularly useful for visitors who want to leave town with a recipe and a real starter to maintain on the road. Whether you’re a local seeking a new habit or a traveler looking to bring back a living souvenir, this class converts curiosity into confidence. Practical, accessible and sensory-rich, it’s a compact food-education experience that belongs in any trip where slow food and craft skills matter. Arrive with clean hands and an appetite: the class provides ingredients and a set of tools for immediate practice, including a scoring blade and proofing basket, plus a detailed recipe booklet to follow at home. The instructor demonstrates maintenance routines for both the fresh and dehydrated starter, covering feeding schedules, storage, and simple troubleshooting so your jar thrives. Because the course runs small, you’ll get individualized feedback on shaping and oven technique. Age minimum is 13, and the space is wheelchair accessible.