The Southern specialty leavened by a naturally occurring bacterial culture is salt-rising bread.
Salt-rising bread is a dense, white bread traditionally associated with the Appalachian Mountains. Its dough rises through spontaneous bacterial fermentation rather than a conventional baker’s-yeast culture. A starter is typically made from ingredients such as cornmeal, potatoes, wheat, milk, or water, then kept warm before being incorporated into the dough.
Despite its name, salt is not the main leavening agent and the finished bread is not especially salty. Salt may have been used to discourage yeast or may refer to an older method of keeping the starter warm in heated salt. The bread’s distinctive fermentation can produce a strong aroma, a close crumb, and a flavor unlike ordinary yeast bread.
The earliest known recipe dates to 1778, in what is now West Virginia. The method likely suited Appalachian households at a time when commercial yeast was difficult to obtain. Salt-rising bread is not sourdough: sourdough relies on a maintained culture of wild yeasts and lactic-acid bacteria, while salt-rising bread traditionally emphasizes naturally occurring bacteria under warmer conditions. It is commonly served toasted with butter or used in grilled-cheese sandwiches.