First Selectman Jeff Capeci and Newtown Bee Copy Editor Kathy Ronan will hold a Sourdough 101 class on Saturday, May 4, from 10 am to noon, at Newtown Community Center, 8 Simpson Street.

Participants will learn how to make sourdough bread through an interactive classroom experience. They will also learn the science and art of sourdough, taste freshly baked sourdough bread, and will be given the recipe along with a container of starter so they can bake their own at home.

The event has a $15 participation fee, and all proceeds from the event will benefit FAITH Food Pantry. Registration is required and available by calling 203-270-4349.

Soon after becoming friends, Capeci, who had been baking sourdough for over six years, encouraged Ronan to try making it. She was tentative, due to previous failed efforts making yeast breads (they didn’t rise and were doughy inside when baked). Capeci assured her that sourdough was easy to work with and offered to guide her through it. She agreed and was thrilled when the bread was a delicious success. She now consistently bakes sourdough once or twice a week.

This experience led to Ronan writing a feature story in the March 1 issue of Newtown Bee on Capeci’s hobby of making sourdough bread, “In the Kitchen with Jeff Capeci.” After publication, requests started coming in from people wanting to learn how to make sourdough. Capeci and Ronan happily agreed to share their love of making sourdough bread with others, beginning with teaching this current class at Newtown Community Center.