Chad Robertson started out making many different kinds of breads at Bay Village, the tiny bakery he owns with his wife, Elizabeth Prueitt, in Point Reyes Station, California. But obsession prevailed, and Robertson decided to focus solely onpain au levain,a traditional sourdough leavened with a natural starter that he refreshes, or “feeds,” up to four times a day.

Robertson’s approach is traditionally calledà deux mains(“with two hands”), where a batch of dough is mixed, kneaded, shaped, proofed, and baked by the same baker, instead of being passed off to several different pairs of hands, as is often the case. This allows “a profound connection to the dough,” affirms Robertson. “I can make adjustments all through the day, because I know exactly what I started with.” The result is bread with a chewy, well-caramelized crust, a moist, tender crumb, and a perfect balance of naturally sour and sweet flavors—“bread,” Robertson says, “that I love to eat.”