The mothers of the baking world, sourdough starters worth celebrating too Meet the cultures, also known as 'mothers,' that are behind the local breads you love. Share Ten-month-old Sandy Winthrop inspects a loaf of his mom Kate Whittemore's homemade tahini-wheat sourdough a few days before Mother's Day. Whittemore gave some of her same sourdough starter to Rose Foods owner Chad Conley, where it's used to make the bagels. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer Meet Zola: She’s bubbly, vivacious and adaptable. She’s a romantic, but she excels at science, too. Zola is a networker, with a special skill for connecting people. Some accuse her of being high-maintenance, but those who know her best say she’s actually pretty chill, a real natural beauty. She grew up in the Midwest, but since settling in Maine has made many new friends. In fact, if you’re a fan of Rose Foods, in Portland, you’ve probably run into her, even if you don’t know her by name. Zola is both well traveled and a contented homebody, a nurturing mom who needs a lot of nurturing herself. She’s often hungry.