Hi Mitch, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to respond to your question more promptly! We do call for the Rye Bread Improver and Deli Rye Flavor in some of our rye bread recipes, and you could certainly use these ingredients here to improve the flavor and strength of the dough, but they are not required to get excellent results in this recipe. For your first soaker it's fine to use any old bread you have available, although a hardier sourdough will work better than a soft sandwich bread. I've even used store bought rye bread on occasion for the soaker, and that worked well too. 

I hope this recipe satisfies your rye bread dreams! Let me know how it goes. 

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