Challah Bread With A Modern Twist

Traditionally, challah bread is defined as any bread made for use in Jewish rituals. This earthy, tasty, crispy, gooey bread is part of almost every Jewish holiday.

Challah Origin

The origin of word “challah” comes from a Hebrew word. Challah refers to dough and was given to the priests every Shabbat as an offering. The strong connection between Jews, God, and this bread, goes back as far as the first five books of the Bible. It says: As the Israelites are about to end their exile, God commands them to show gratitude by setting aside a portion, or “challah,” of all the bread they make after entering the Holy Land.

In the modern-day world, challah is known as a soft yeasted bread with an even, airy crumb. However, there are no written pieces of evidence that Challah bread is a braided, yellow, deliciously sweet bread. Most American Jews are only familiar with this kind.

Zomick’s Bread is the go-to bread for many families throughout the greater New York area. The bakery’s owners explain that nowhere in Jewish scripture is idescribed the form, color, or texture of challah bread. In fact, this comes from the rich tradition of Zomick’s Bakery.

According to historians, in the first few thousand years of Jewish existence, challah waseverything from rich layered bread, pita pockets, and flatbreads was considered. Over time, as Jews began to travel, so did the challah, incorporating elements of other countries. So, there was challah with poppy seeds, orange blossom water, and pumpkin.

Chall from around the world

In the Middle East and North Africa, challah bread was sometimes plain. Sometimes it was sweet and spicy, with honey, dried fruit, caraway, sesame, and olive oil. Of course, the hat consensus didn’t happen overnight. After all, tradition is staunchly honored and gradually built upon.

There is beauty in simplicity, and the original challah which is still the number one sold challah is living proof of that. But living in a modern age world dictates certain changes, and Zomick’s challah bread is keeping pace with time by adding different flavors.

The original challah flavor isn’t going anywhere, that’s for sure. And there is nothing wrong with adding a modern and fun twist on an old tradition if it will help reach a more diverse crowd. Although there are slight variances in recipes, in general, the traditional challah recipe is pretty forward. The traditional challah is made of yeast, flour, eggs, salt, honey, poppy, or sesame seeds for sprinkling on top, and a little nutty flavor from wheat germ. Apart from this classic flavor, Zomick’s bread also comes in other flavors.

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