David Norman infuses traditional rye bread with flour from Barton Springs Mill

James Beard-nominated baker David Norman is the “head dough puncher” for Austin’s cult-favorite bakery, Easy Tiger.

Austin's Easy Tiger is a bakery with a cult following, turning out traditional loaves of bread, many made with locally grown and freshly milled grain from Barton Springs Mill.

Like many Americans, he grew up eating flavorless processed white bread, but his eyes were opened to the wide range of flavors and textures possible in bread while living in Sweden while in high school. Thankfully, he not only fell in love with eating these traditional breads made with whole grains, but he fell in love with making them.

When we visited, David and Cat got into the kitchen to make a traditional rye bread using heritage rye flour from Barton Springs Mill along with the bakery’s signature oatmeal loaf, which incorporates oatmeal for moisture and a chewy texture.

David released his first book in 2019, Bread on the Table: Recipes for Making and Enjoying Europe's Most Beloved Breads and you can grab a copy here to learn about traditional breads from one of our country’s best bakers.

Catherine Neville