Alan Skversky is the corporate chef for San Francisco-based Boudin Bakery
Alan Skversky is the corporate chef for San Francisco-based Boudin Bakery, a storied boulangerie known for its sourdough. In fact, Boudin still bakes its sourdough fresh every day using the same mother dough cultivated from a gold miner’s sourdough starter more than 100 years ago.
The menu boasts more than just specialty breads, including The Millionaire Avocado Toast, featuring thick-cut caramelized bacon with a rub of brown sugar, black and cayenne pepper, cage-free hard-boiled egg, smashed avocado, and a sprinkle of sea salt on toasted classic sourdough.
We tapped Skversky for an inspiring flavor trifecta. He shared a combination of sourdough, dark chocolate and sea salt that Boudin is playing with currently. His ideas demonstrate both the craveability and versatility of this trifecta.
“The combination of the fresh, tart bread and the smooth chocolate is divine, and when you pair it with a crunch of salt, it really wakes up the taste buds,” he says. “The bread also takes on a different flavor and texture, of course, when toasted, which adds a nice crunch and sweetness.”
He suggests a few creative ways to showcase this trio: first, a chocolate fondue served in a sourdough bread bowl topped with Maldon sea salt flakes. “Serve the fondue with cubed fresh sourdough, sourdough salted pretzels and the usual parade of favorites—caramels, marshmallows, strawberries, bananas,” says Skversky.
Second, he offers up the trifecta in a crostini or tartine format. “Here, it’s a sliced baguette, some pieces toasted, some fresh, spread with dark chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt, and topped with crunchy almonds, dried cherries for a tart bite, raspberries, banana slices, or a drizzle of salted caramel,” he says.
Other ideas for this savory/sweet/salty trio include: dark chocolate and sea salt truffles rolled in crunchy brown-butter sourdough crumbs; sourdough bread pudding with sea salt and dark chocolate chunks; and a salty s’more on toasted caramelized sourdough.
