For the Love of Sourdough: A Desert Organic Sourdough House
Bakery · Mesa, AZ · reviewed since 2022
iHow the Experts Score is calculatedEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (standing in the category can only raise it), then weighted; problems flagged in review highlights or a recent slide in ratings are subtracted:Satisfaction 69%100+69.2Reliability 31%97+29.8Experts Score= 99Not enough data for value, replies to reviews; its weight is shared by the others.Grade A: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39. Needs 10+ reviews.99SCORE
AGradeiLetter from the Experts Score: A = 80+, B = 60–79, C = 40–59, D = 20–39, F = under 20.
#2 of 69 cooking classesiPosition by Experts Score among all companies we track in this category. · better than 99%
5.0★★★★★145 Google reviews · 24 photos
100%five-star reviews
5.00★last 12 monthsiAverage stars on reviews from the last 12 months only.
0%1–2★ in 2 yearsiShare of 1–2★ reviews in the last 24 months — or the 20 newest reviews when the company had fewer than 20 in that time.
For the Love of Sourdough: A Desert Organic Sourdough House at a glance
Google reviewers rate this Mesa bakery five stars based on 145 reviews, with the owner responding to 83 percent of feedback. Customers frequently describe the hands-on sourdough classes as informative and well-organized, noting that instructors break down complex baking processes into understandable steps for beginners. Attendees often mention gaining confidence to bake at home after taking courses that cover starter maintenance, dough lamination, and gluten-free options. The venue is described as welcoming, and many reviewers praise the quality and variety of the bread available for purchase.
Google rating: 5.0 out of 5 from 145 reviews (100% five-star).
Reviews on this page: 145 Google reviews (140 with written comments, 39 with photos).
Owner responses: the business replied to 83% of reviews.
Most recent review: October 4, 2026.
Service: Cooking Class serving Mesa, Arizona.
Data from Google, last updated November 2, 2026.
Score profile vs other cooking classes
Score per factor (100 = best)iEach factor is scored 0–100 on absolute terms (star average, share of 1–2★ reviews, price verdicts…); standing within the category can only raise it, never lower it.. Strongest: satisfaction and momentum; weakest: reliability.
This companyCooking Classes median0 = centre, 100 = best
SatisfactioniSatisfaction · 54% of the scoreRecency-weighted star average (2-year half-life), shrunk toward the category mean by review volume; the company’s own lifetime average as the prior; absolute: 4.0★ = 0, 5★ = 100.For the Love of Sourdough: A Desert Organic Sourdough House: 100/100 on this factor. Category median: 86.A
100
ReliabilityiReliability · 24% of the scoreHow rarely jobs go badly: share of 1–2★ reviews — 60% the last 24 months (or the 20 newest if fewer), 40% all-time; 0% = 100, 15%+ = 0; the category percentile can only raise it.For the Love of Sourdough: A Desert Organic Sourdough House: 97/100 on this factor. Category median: 85.A
97
Craft & serviceiCraft & service · penalty only, up to −10 pointsGoogle review highlights: Quality, Professionalism, Responsiveness, Punctuality — how rarely reviewers flag them as a negative, per review since highlights began; 0% = 100, 5%+ = 0. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in — clean highlights are the norm, not a bonus.Not enough reviews for this factor yet. Category median: 100.–
–
ValueiValue · 14% of the scoreCustomers’ own price verdicts (Great / Reasonable vs Overpriced) and Value highlights; 65% absolute (all “reasonable” ≈ 80, “great” = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Not enough reviews for this factor yet. Category median: 100.–
–
MomentumiMomentum · penalty only, up to −10 pointsPenalises only a real slide: last-12-month average below lifetime (−0.5★ = 0). Still 4.8★+ over the last year, or steady/improving = 100. Subtracted from the score (up to −10), never averaged in.For the Love of Sourdough: A Desert Organic Sourdough House: 100/100 on this factor. Category median: 100.A
100
Replies to reviewsiReplies to reviews · 7% of the scoreHow often the owner publicly replies to reviews under 5★ (1–4★). Needs 3+ such reviews, otherwise not counted; 65% absolute (80%+ replied = 100), the category percentile can only raise it.Not enough reviews for this factor yet. Category median: 38.–
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Bar = this company · dark tick = category median.
Star ratings
145 Google reviews we collected
5.0of 5
5 stars145100%
4 stars00%
3 stars00%
2 stars00%
1 star00%
Praise vs complaints
Phrases our text analysis found in 140 written reviews
97%praise
Praise14997%
Complaints53%
Topic share
How often each topic comes up in the written reviews
7topics
Would recommend5032%
Staff & attitude4932%
Quality & results2416%
Communication1610%
Speed & response64%
Price & value64%
Honesty & trust32%
What customers talk about
We read 140 written reviews and marked every phrase about these topics. The same colors are highlighted in the reviews.
“We highly recommend it to anyone wanting to start their sourdough journey!”
“Nicole is thorough, articulate, communicative, very pleasant, kind and warm.”
“My husband and I took this beginner sourdough class, and it exceeded our expectations!”
“The group setting and all the questions asked really helped me gain clarity and answered my questions as well.”
“I went home feeling confident and made my first loaf of sourdough the next day—it was delicious.”
“I also found a recipe for slow cooker/crock pot sourdough loaf that I am going to try.”
“If you've ever wanted to learn sourdough but felt intimidated, this class is 100% worth it.”
“I honestly could not tell that the class was over four hours long.”
People customers mention
Nicole44 reviews
Niki6 reviews
Beginners4 reviews
Class3 reviews
School3 reviews
praise complaint · found by our text analysis, Google review wording unchanged.
Recent reviews
MMaria5 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 2 months ago★★★★★
Nicole’s class gave me the confidence to conquer my challenges with yeast and bread making. I was able to make two more loaves and some scones from discard during first week after the weekend class.
Nicole shared a lot of her tips and maybe secrets.
Nicole is thorough, articulate, communicative, very pleasant, kind…
MMandy4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 3 months ago★★★★★
My husband and I took this beginner sourdough class, and it exceeded our expectations! The instructor made everything easy to understand, breaking the process down step by step so even complete beginners could feel confident.
We came home excited to try it on our own, we just baked our very first loaf, it came out…
HHeather7 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 4 months ago★★★★★
Nicole’s sourdough class was the best! She is an awesome teacher, and I feel so much more confident now with making my own sourdough. I highly recommend this class if you want to learn about sourdough and the nuances of baking in Arizona!
JJessica8 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 months ago★★★★★
Amazing experience, bread is delicious. I may or may not have eaten the entire loaf we made in class in a few hours.
BBeth1 reviewiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 months ago★★★★★
We had a delightful time and learned so much. Everything was so well organized and our teacher was fun and knowledgeable.
JJerri3 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews this person has written across all businesses on Google Maps (not just this one). More reviews usually means a more experienced, trustworthy reviewer. · 5 months ago★★★★★
This was an incredible experience. I loved every moment of it. I would highly recommend it and would take it again. I feel confident moving forward to make my own sourdough. Nicole is fantastic, and I really appreciated watching her show the group how to do everything. I honestly could not tell that the class was…
Nicole’s class gave me the confidence to conquer my challenges with yeast and bread making. I was able to make two more loaves and some scones from discard during first week after the weekend class.
Nicole shared a lot of her tips and maybe secrets.
Nicole is thorough, articulate, communicative, very pleasant, kind and warm. If you love bread and learning, you should sign up for her class. Thank you Nicole for welcoming us into your lovely home.
M
Mandy Papini4 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Mandy has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
My husband and I took this beginner sourdough class, and it exceeded our expectations! The instructor made everything easy to understand, breaking the process down step by step so even complete beginners could feel confident.
We came home excited to try it on our own, we just baked our very first loaf, it came out absolutely perfect! We never thought we'd be able to make beautiful homemade sourdough after just one class.
If you've ever wanted to learn sourdough but felt intimidated, this class is 100% worth it. The instruction, hands-on experience, and encouragement gave us everything we needed to be successful. We highly recommend it to anyone wanting to start their sourdough journey!
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
It was a pleasure teaching you Mandy! I hope you enjoy everything that sourdough has to teach you. <3 -Nicole
H
Heather M7 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Heather has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
Nicole’s sourdough class was the best! She is an awesome teacher, and I feel so much more confident now with making my own sourdough. I highly recommend this class if you want to learn about sourdough and the nuances of baking in Arizona!
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Thank you so very much, Heather! Enjoy the journey of sourdough! All my very best. <3 - Nicole
J
Jessica Appel8 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Jessica has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
This was an incredible experience. I loved every moment of it. I would highly recommend it and would take it again. I feel confident moving forward to make my own sourdough. Nicole is fantastic, and I really appreciated watching her show the group how to do everything. I honestly could not tell that the class was over four hours long. It is so fun and immersive that the time flies by. The group setting and all the questions asked really helped me gain clarity and answered my questions as well. Lastly, the bread was phenomenal.
Parking space: Plenty of parking
Parking options: Free street parking
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Thank you thank you Jerri Lynn!! Enjoy your new favorite kitchen hobby. :) -Nicole
H
Haley SchlickLocal Guide · 14 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Haley has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
I attended the Gluten-Free Sourdough class, and it was so fun! Nicole is a wonderful teacher. We learned the history of sourdough, its benefits, how to properly maintain it and use it for baking. I gained so much knowledge and confidence in my own sourdough baking skills! This is new for me, so it is a great class for beginners. Everything is made with the highest quality and I love that. I highly recommend attending a class!
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Thanks for coming to class, Haley! Enjoy that gluten-free sourdough. <3 -Nicole
E
Emily Maddock3 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Emily has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
I felt like I was being taught by a true expert. Nicole understands the science behind making sourdough bread and because of this she is able to teach with thoroughness and accuracy. Every detail of class seemed to be prepared with love; her home is very welcoming—she even has backyard chickens! I went home feeling confident and made my first loaf of sourdough the next day—it was delicious. She also shared her wisdom on healthy ingredients and how to get the best flavor in your sourdough. I’m so grateful that I went to this class because I will use this skill for the rest of my life!
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Thank you so very much Emily! Thank you so much for coming out to learn all about sourdough. Enjoy the journey! -Nicole
G
Gwen StreeterLocal Guide · 209 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews Gwen has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
I attended Nicole's sourdough school, and I'm so glad I did! After trying for months, I just couldn't fully understand sourdough. I visited dozens of websites, bought cookbooks, watched You Tube videos, and nothing clicked.
Since the school, I feel more confident in my abilities. Nicole explained everything well and in a way I can absorb. Having other students in the class was helpful because of all the questions that came up. I took detailed notes.
Nicole had her kitchen set up beautifully. All materials were laid out for class and included little gifts! We tried hands-on techniques and learned that there are many "fixes" if you feel like you messed up. The class had an en easy flow and felt comfortable.
As a bonus, Leslie from Oatman Farms was in attendance, and she gave us an overview of their wheat farming process. After learning from Leslie, I have decided to buy Oatman Farms flour for my future baking.
When we were tasting fresh-baked sourdough, Nicole shared a surprising twist. We tried our toasted bread topped with a sprinkle of lemon rosemary salt! Yep, sounds odd, but it was remarkable! Last night, I made a batch of lemon rosemary salt. I loved it so much! My husband was reluctant to try it, but he thought it was delicious.
I brought home a beautiful loaf of sourdough that I created and am so proud. It is the best tasting, best texture bread I have ever tried!
Students also took home sourdough starter, and I fed mine this morning. I feel really hopeful about it. My previous starters look anemic compared to Nicole's starter. We also took home dough. My oven is broken, so Nicole suggested I use it for pizza dough. I'm doing that today. I also found a recipe for slow cooker/crock pot sourdough loaf that I am going to try. I'm really looking forward to my sourdough adventures!
If you're on the fence about trying sourdough, take Nicole's class. It's the best gift you can give yourself.
Noise level: Quiet, easy to talk
Group size: 9+ people
Special events: Not sure
Wait time: No wait
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
It was a pleasure meeting you and teaching you Gwen!! :) -Nicole
J
james souzaLocal Guide · 18 reviewsiTotal number of Google reviews james has written across all businesses on Google Maps, not just this one.
This was a class on baking heritage old world grain breads. Definitely recommend taking this class. Learned so much about starter yeasts for making sourdough bread and so much more.
Also Nichol was a fantastic speaker and teacher along with the rep from oatman
Farms. I now have confidence in making bread properly. Added bonus is you get to also meet a great group of people taking the class along with you. Lots of fun and working together.
Thanks Nichol
Response from the owner · 3 months ago
Thank you James! I hope things are well with your new home. Miss seeing you!! Enjoy your new hobby in Prescott! -Nicole
