Bread on the Table: Recipes for Making and Enjoying Europe's Most Beloved Breads

by David Norman

The debut cookbook from cult favorite Austin bakery and beer garden Easy Tiger, featuring recipes from author David Norman's time spent exploring bread traditions throughout Europe and North America, plus menu ideas for incorporating homemade bread into everyday meals.
In this highly anticipated cookbook, culinary instructor and baker David Norman explores the European breadmaking traditions that inspire him most--from the rye breads of France to the saltless ciabattas of Italy to the traditional Christmas loaves of Scandinavia. Norman also offers recipes for traditional foods to accompany these regional specialties, so home bakers can showcase their freshly made breads alongside a traditional Swedish breakfast spread, oysters with mignonette, or country pâté, to name a few examples. With rigorous, detailed instructions plus showstopping photography, this book will surprise and delight bakers of all stripes.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published October 22, 2019

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading a public library copy of Bread on the Table by David Norman. It is thoughtful and well written. Johnny Autry's photographs of all the delicious looking breads are really beautiful. Alas, there are no instructional photos of how to score or stretch and fold (there are good text descriptions about scoring and stretching and folding though). Especially handy would have been a couple of photos of Norman stretching and folding slack dough....

The sections on "Mixing and Kneading" on pages 25 and 26, and on "Proofing" on pages 27 and 29 are particularly interesting. And the sidebar about "Autolyse" on page 28 is amazing. Until I read it, I thought that I WAS autolysing by holding back the salt until about 30 minutes after mixing the flours, water and leavener. But who knew that it was just the flour and water that is to be autolysed?! And that the salt AND the yeast were supposed to be held back?

For the autolyse, flour and water are mixed together until just combined and then allowed to rest for about 20 minutes. During the rest period, the gluten-forming proteins absorb the water and start to link. Wen mixing is resumed, the structure becomes more organized and the gluten is strengthened in a shorter period of time, which reduces the oxidation of the dough. It is this "bleaching" of the dough during oxidation that robs flavor.
    Salt is omitted during the autolyse, as salt attracts water more readily than the gluten. Yeast is also typically left out, as we do not want fermentation to begin yet. [...] [I]t helps to make a better dough when using a mixer and would highly recommend it when mixing by machine. [Autolyse, p.28]

Norman also writes, "I prefer to both mix and knead with my hands, so I can feel how the dough is coming together, which allows me to make adjustments [Mixing and Kneading p.25]." But then he includes two pages about using a stand mixer and how to use the speeds to your advantage, as well as what to watch for to make sure the dough doesn't get overmixed. (We don't have a stand mixer, so I can't try his method....)

Flour absorbs different amounts of water, depending on many factors, and you always want the flour, salt , yeast and any other ingredients to remain in the smae proportion to each other. That means adjusting the amount of water if the dough is not the right consistency, not the flour. [...] Dough temperature is hard to control at home. Even if you hit the target temperature after kneading, a small batch of dough can change temperature during fermentation. You may have to move the dough around to different spots in your kitchen.
    Ideally, I like most wheat-based dough to be in the range of 72°F to 76°F and rye dough to be a bit warmer, between 78°F and 82°F. You can easily measure the temperature of the dough with an instant-read thermometer [Tips for Successful Bread Making, Yeast p.21]
~ ~ ~
Once the culture is established, there is less that can go wrong; a strong, healthy starter has defenses against contamination by undesirable microbes. [...] It is a good idea to sanitize the jar in the dishwasher of put it in some boiling water for a few minutes before you use it for the first time. Again, once you get your starter established, contamination is unlikely [...]
    Levain natural is the French term for a sourdough starter, which is often referred to as a natural starter in English. [...] [T]he term natural sets up a dichotomy that implies the breads leavened with baker's yeast are somehow unnatural, which is not true at all. [levain naturel | Sourdough Terminology, p65-67]

I must admit that, while I'm sure his natural starters work very well, Norman's method is needlessly complex! Also, for home use, so much starter can't be necessary. And, why, when feeding, discard some of the starter? Especially if they don't discard any of it in the bakery. Sure, they are baking every day in the bakery. But there is still no good reason to throw away flour just because the starter is residing in the fridge for a week or so.

In the recipe for "Pain au Levain" on pages 70-75, Norman calls for adding 200 grams of all-purpose flour to 200 grams of levain and 120 grams of water for the "wake-up feed" (thus creating 520 grams). Then for the final feed, he calls for using just 165 grams levain. There is nowhere that he indictes what is done with all that extra levain! Is he really saying to throw away 355 grams of levain? Or is that to be put back into the jar of starter?

Perhaps because David Norman has Swedish roots, the book sometimes feels rye-centric - many recipes calling for a rye starter, as well as plenty of rye flour. Even the wheat starter is begun by activating it with rye flour on the first day of creating it.

Keep in mind that rye differs from wheat in ways that influence the handling and performance of bread dough. wheat flour has a magical combination of proteins that link up to form gluten, providing beautiful, airy, and light loaves. Rye, too, has similar proteins, but not in the right proportions to form the same gluten network as wheat. You can mix and mix rye dough but you will never achieve the elastic dough that wheat flour produces. However, there are other elements in rye flour that form enough structure to capture fermentation gases and produce a fine and evenly crumbed loaf of bread. The require less mixing and more gentle handling.
    In several of these bread recipes, a portion of the rye flour is scalded by mixing with boiling water prior to incorporating it into the final dough. This gets the starch in the flour into a thick paste, helping give the dough better structure and enhancing the flavor. [Scandinavian Bread, p95]
~ ~ ~
Semmeln is the southern German word for what people in the rest of the country call Brötchen, which translates to "small breads." Usually semmeln are white rolls with a thin crackly crust. [...] It can be difficult to find the superlight crumb and thin, crackly crust in the semmeln prevalent in Germany today, mostly because the dough is mixed intensively by high-speed commercial mixers, oxidizing the dough in a way that cannot be done by hand. This roll, however will be more flavorful and have a wonderful, crunchy crust. [German Bread, Semmeln | White Breakfast Rolls, p.157]
~ ~ ~
When I was a college student at the University of Munich, I took advantage of our month long winter break to see more of Europe [...] Armed with a student train pass that allowed me to travel for free outside of Germany, I headed south on an overnight train to Verona. I had my sights set on Paris, Belgium, and the Netherlands. [...] For several hours, I wandered the ancient streets, drank cappuccino, and ate some gelato before continuing on to Milan and then on a overnight train to Paris.
    I do not remember if I ate any bread during that short stop in Italy, years later, when I began to think of baking as a creative and fulfilling career rather than just a stepping-stone to something else, I borrowed a copy of Carol Field's seminal book The Italian Baker. In it, I recognized something different from the breads I had been making up to that point, what with the use of starters and longer fermentation. [Italian Bread, p.181]

"The Italian Baker" by Carol Field was my first serious bread baking book too. And I failed miserably when making her recipe for ciabatta. I'm really looking forward to trying David Norman's idea to add the water in stages.

Ciabbatta is typically made with a lot of water, but I like to add the water in stages in order to first develop the gluten properly. I then introduce more water into the gluten structure, which turns to steam in the heat of the oven, helping create the extremely open crumb structure typical for that loaf. [Italian Bread, p.181]
    In the bakery, we use a double hydration technique known in French as a bassinage. First you develop the gluten using a normal range of hydration, then you add extra water in an extended mix. I tried several ways of mixing this dough by hand and found this to be the easiest and to give the best results. [Ciabbatta, p.189]

This excellent book includes a number of really good looking bread recipes that AREN'T French (as well as several that are), as well as recipes for delicious-looking traditional accompaniments and or uses of the various breads.

Bookmarked:
Pain aux Pruneaux et Noisettes, p.46-51
Fullkornbröd, p.96-99
Vörtbröd, p.116-121
Julskinka, p.134
Leinsaatbrot, p.152-155
Semmeln, p.156-159
Ciabatta, p.188-193
Smoked Flour Fougasse, p.216-221
Birotes Salados, p.222-227
Torta Ahogada, p. 234-237


(I really like that for the publicity shot at the end of the book, David Norman is wearing a T-shirt with the "Wonder Bread" logo on it.)

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best bread book I've read so far. I didn't make many of the recipes, but I'm excited to buy my own copy and try them all.

The pain de campagne (French country bread) became my weekly bread for most of the summer. I loved both the long fermentation of the starter and unique kneading.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and very detailed instructions for each recipe.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know that you can use wort from beer to make bread? I sure as shit didn't. It makes a lot of sense, though.

This is written by the lead baker of one of my favorite local spots, so of course, I had to check it out. It's not the most beginner friendly book, but it's not incomprehensible by any means. It'll definitely be easier to follow along if you have some knowledge on the science of bread and technique.

It has recipes from French, Italian, Scandinavian, and German tradition, which, to be honest, I had never thought much about baking outside of the French breads. I'm much more interested in exploring those techniques now.

There's lots of good stuff in here. Keep a baker's percentage table handy, read through the text, and get to baking.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this isn’t the book for Covid-19 stay-at-home bread baking novices. It is full of stories and recipes and best of all, gorgeous photography.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Texas chef David Norman knows a thing or two about bread. From his time in Sweden as an exchange student in high school to a semester in Germany while getting his degree in the language to his time working in a series of bakeries across the United States, Norman learned an enviable number of lessons about the texture of bread and how breads are baked, served, and eaten. And now we are fortunate enough to have him share his experiences with us in his Bread on the Table.

As the owner of Austin’s Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden, Norman clearly knows a thing or two about fermentation. Although he originally started baking bread thanks to James Beard’s Beard on Bread simply so that he could find something other than that tasteless American white bread to eat, his techniques have evolved and been refined through his years of baking professionally and personally. Now he offers us a selection of bread recipes from around the world, with simpler recipes for beginning bread bakers and more complex approaches for those who want a challenge.

In a truly unique manner of telling the story, Norman takes us around the world to sample breads and dishes that are eaten with them. Starting with the loaf that is the touchstone for so many, the simple French Country Bread, Norman begins with the basics and builds from there to add rye bread and sourdough and a Pullman bread (a classic sandwich bread) and moves on to bring in more foods of the French table to consume with the breads. There are recipes for La Charbonee de Boulanger, a hearty stew that could have been made in the “dying heat of the baker’s oven,” Oysters with Mignonette, and (one of my favorites) Croque Monsieur.

From there it is off to Scandinavia, where we get to sample more rye breads, Swedish crispbread, and a Swedish “Wort” Bread. These get paired with Gravlax, a Christmas ham, Cultured Butter, and Christmas Kale. Then to Germany, where we learn about more yet rye breads as well as a whole wheat bread with flaxseeds, White Breakfast Rolls, and Easy Tiger Pretzels. He pairs these with Chef Drew’s Easy Tiger Beer Cheese and Wurstsalat, a Biergarten Sausage Salad.

Then it’s off to Italy for a saltless Tuscan bread, Ciabatta, and Panini Press Bread, which he uses for Italian sandwiches, Crostini Tuscani (Tuscan Chicken Liver Toasts), and Cinghiale alla Cacciatora. The last stop in our culinary journey is Norman’s home in Central Texas, or as Norman puts it, “Baking Bread in a Tortilla Town.” This chapter includes recipes for White Pan Bread, Smoked Flour Fougasse, Mexican sourdough rolls, and Flour Tortillas. These he makes into Breakfast Tacos, Migas, and Torta Ahogada (a sandwich from Guadalajara).

I hope I don’t sound disrespectful describing these recipes, especially the “yet more rye breads,” because that is the last thing I want. The truth is this book is so beautiful and filled with so many luscious recipes that I wish I could quit my job to stay home and bake bread full time. I am almost overwhelmed with the beauty and depth of these recipes. It would take months for me to even begin to learn what this cookbook has to offer.

Bread on the Table is the sum of Norman’s experience in baking and eating bread, and it shows. It is a book to return to often for ideas and inspiration for the kinds of bread that turn a meal into a feast and a place into a home.

Thanks for the free book, @tenspeedpress!

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many of us during this very long shelter in place, I ran out of yeast in March, and to perserve the last of my yeast and some of my sanity, I made a starter.

So did everyone else, and when I went to look for sourdough books, they were all sold out. Recently, I was able to enter an actual bookstore to shop, and I found a few books with extensive sourdough sections. This was one of them.

Since it had a recipe for making sourdough pretzels, and the future Mr. Neer has fallen head over heels for my sourdough pretzels, I decided to try that first.

Amazing, great texture, very clear instructions, less tangy than I like them, but I think I can ferment the dough/starter longer at the beginning and adjust that a bit. I look forward to trying some more breads from this book.

[Clwseattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bread on the Table: Recipes for Making and Enjoying Europe's Most Beloved Breads is a travelogue of bread through the far and small corners of Europe, although Italy was a bit ignored.

Bread on the Table contains some typical, familiar recipes and some less known. There are photo's of the finished breads and recipes for accoutrements with and of the breads. Every photo made me want to make and eat the bread pictured! On the other hand, these are breads that are time intense with recipes that go on for several pages. If you are new to bread making, the instructions are very detailed and may seem daunting, but you should be able to make a perfect loaf.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book with very detailed recipes for lots of interesting breads. Haven't baked anything from it yet but I'm planning to very soon!

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book on bread. I liked the history and growth presented by the author as well as the German/Italian/Swiss etc types of bread. The writing is clear and informative.

[Emma Treacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really really REALLY would love a hard copy of this

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read every recipe start to finish, but the intro, sections on sourdough and general techniques. I've started levain, but yet to cook any of these recipes. I definitely like reading the technique, although some of the technique descriptions are hard to understand without going and watching his youtube videos from 2020.

I honestly was hoping for a german brotchen recipe in this, but his rolls are from Munich, and not precisely what I'm looking for (looking for Berlin version, 'knackfrishe'). But I'm definitely going to try making them.

update: sourdough not that great - rye taste a bit too strong, maybe? possibly my levain was not awake enough.

pain de campagne was pretty good, though! I've now learned what rye tastes like (sweet) and that's huge. I'll probably keep making this, and learning the folding technique was pretty awesome, but it takes a lot of attention, which I'm not so sure I'll keep up with.