What Is the Coyote? Meet Billy Bread’s Flagship Sourdough

If Billy Bread had a mascot, it would be the Coyote. It is my flagship loaf, the one most people picture when they think of what I do, and the one most likely to sell out on a Friday. So if you are new here, this is the loaf to start with. Let me tell you what is in it, where the name came from, and why people get a little obsessed.

What is actually in it

The Coyote is built on bread flour and semolina. That semolina is the secret to its color: it gives the crust a deep, golden, almost amber tone, and it adds a subtle sweetness and a little extra chew to the crumb. At heart it is a classic sourdough, just flour, water, salt, and my starter, fermented slow. No shortcuts, no commercial yeast, no preservatives.

Where the name came from

This one is close to home. My kids go to Sycamore Canyon Elementary, and the school mascot is the Coyote. I put together a video for the fourth grade class about the California Gold Rush, and for that video I baked a special loaf and named it the Coyote. The name stuck, the loaf stuck, and somewhere along the way it became the bread this whole thing is built on. Not a bad origin story for a sourdough: born in a classroom history lesson, named after a school full of kids who cheer for coyotes.

And yes, the video still exists. If you want to see the very first Coyote and a very committed Gold Rush prospector, watch the Gold Rush video here.

Why people come back for it

A few reasons. The crust is the star, crackly and deeply caramelized from that semolina. The inside is soft and open, with the gentle tang a long, slow ferment gives you, not the sharp sourness people sometimes brace for. It is the rare loaf that is equally happy as morning toast, as the base of a sandwich, or torn straight off the board with good butter while it is still a little warm. No judgment. I do it too.

How to get one

The Coyote is on the menu most weeks, but it is also the first thing to go. Order early in the week so yours is set aside before Friday’s batch runs out. Around eighteen loaves come out of a typical bake, and the Coyote always claims a healthy share of them.

In crust we trust. If you only try one Billy Bread loaf, make it this one. Order the Coyote.