Sip & Sourdough: Sourdough for Beginners

In this hands-on class you will learn all the sourdough basics from taking care of your starter, to preparing your first loaf, and of course all the so-dough lingo! Specifically designed to take the fear out of the sourdough process, you will leave the class feeling confident and empowered to finally begin your journey. 

Items to Bring: Bring all of your questions, a bottle of whatever you like to sip, a tea towel and a medium sized mixing bowl.

You will leave with a living starter (the teacher’s very own personal starter named JOY!), your first loaf all mixed up in your bowl, written and video instruction to complete the baking of your loaf at home, and access to your instructor for continued support.

Class will also include, hands on shaping of a sourdough loaf, scoring, and a charcuterie of So-Dough bread for tasting!

About the teacher:

Meet Neeka DeGraw, founder and owner of So-Dough, all things sourdough! Originally from upstate NY, Neeka moved to the greater Nashville area more than 15 years ago and made the big leap to take her social media baking presence to a real time, full time sourdough business right here in Chattanooga in 2025. She says of her baking, “…it was always a passion for me when my kids were little, decorating their birthday cakes ect, but I never really considered it from the business aspect.” That is, until 2020 and the pandemic. Quarantined at home with her adult children she decided to bake a favorite recipe of her great grandmothers that her children had only tasted once, and didn’t really remember. Soon, she began sharing memories of loved ones and beloved recipes and turned quarantine into a new chapter in her life, and on Facebook. A baking group was born and people from all over found peace and joy in sharing favorite recipes together. Sourdough was never a thought, until Neeka was gifted a living starter several years ago.

Thanks to the heart and spirit of Chattanooga, Neeka has been able to take her hobby and turn into a way of life. She is passionate about the health benefits of her products, but also the therapeutic value in the process. She noticed a need to take the fear out of the sourdough journey and help people succeed in their quest to decide what they put into their bodies and their ability to do so through the bread making process. She finds it her personal mission to make the journey doable through step by step video tutorials, one on one conversations, lessons and more. You can find Neeka all season long at the Chattanooga River Market, and The Chattanooga Market as well as “So-Dough” products in a number of local establishments including Nutrition World, Pedestrian Wine and Cheese and Zi’Olive North Shore.

For details about our refund and class cancellation policy, visit .

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