[1] Some common ways of eating salt-rising bread include a slice with sugared coffee poured over it, a grilled cheese sandwich, and the most popular preference, buttered toast.

Commercial yeast was unavailable until the 1860's and sourdough cultures would not have survived in such isolated areas prior to refrigeration.

Appalachian pioneers in the 1700s were familiar with adding salts, such as potash and saleratus to their biscuits and cornbread to make it rise.

[11] There are similar fermented breads in a few isolated parts of the world, such as the Greek Islands, Cyprus, Turkey, South Africa, and Sudan that use lentils and chickpeas.

[2][12][13] Currently, the tradition of making salt-rising bread is kept alive by relatively few individuals and bakeries that tend to be clustered in the central to eastern United States.

It is particularly popular in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, Southern Tier of New York, Western Pennsylvania and pockets in Michigan.