[vkou]

> The world collectively just decided the end-all be-all of baking was… sourdough.

I can't speak for the world, but:

1. Good bread is really hard to come by in the United States. Unless you're going to a bakery twice a week[1], or your local grocery has a contract with one [2]... Your idea of 'bread' is probably mushy garbage that I would describe as more similar to 'cake'.

2. Sourdough is relatively easy to make. Flour, salt, water, starter, time[3].

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[1] Going anywhere to buy one item that is eaten or goes bad in three days is a big ask... Which is why this isn't a great option.

[2] The overwhelming majority don't, and when they do, they want $7 a loaf.

[3] Which a lot of people had plenty of.

[quacker]

Good bread is everywhere in major cities in the US. There are bakery sections at grocery stores and there are many local bakeries.

[vkou]

> There are bakery sections at grocery stores

There are, and most of them don't have good bread. (Baguettes are about the only good bread that you can reliably expect to find in them. Sometimes they have San Francisco-style sourdough, which in my experience, tastes like someone dumped a shot of lemon vinegar into it. Just because a bread uses sourdough starter doesn't mean it needs to taste sour. I feel much the same way about hops and beer.)

Regularly visiting the bakery is, for reasons I've mentioned, a lot of friction for one purchase.

My closest one carries... Weird specialty hipster breads (because it is more focused on tarts and pastries and sweets - bread is just an afterthought for it).

The one I'd go to, if my closest grocery weren't stocking them is way out of my way. I would not be making that trip twice a week.

[bigstrat2003]

> Regularly visiting the bakery is, for reasons I've mentioned, a lot of friction for one purchase.

That is still not "really hard to come by" as per your original claim. It's very common (not just in large cities!) to have a local bakery where you can get good bread. Whether you choose to go or not, it is available to you.

[quacker]

I mean, let’s at least discuss this in good faith.

“Good” bread according to the majority and bread that is specifically up to your standards are probably two very different things.

My grocery store’s bakery sells many types of fresh bread: sourdough, white, rye, croissants, ciabatta, buns, rolls, bagels, and so on. Many grocery stores in my city have a bakery section with a selection of fresh bread like this. (Even Walmart I think, but I don’t shop there).

It’s not the best bread I’ve ever eaten, but it’s fresh, good, tasty bread. It’s not “mushy garbage” and it’s not “cake” like you described in your original comment. It’s not “weird specialty hipster” bread. It’s just simple, real, fresh bread.