🍞 The Story of Challah: Where the Bread Comes From, and What It Means

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Before we braid on Saturday, I wanted to tell you where this bread comes from. Because the recipe is only half of it. The other half is the meaning that's been kneaded into it for thousands of years.

The word "challah" came from the Torah originally, and it didn't mean a loaf. It meant a small portion of dough that was set aside as an offering, every time bread was made. Over time, the word migrated. The portion, and then the whole loaf, both came to be called challah. The bread carries the name of its own commandment.

The braided shape we know came later, in medieval Europe, when Jewish communities in places like Germany and Austria made the braided loaf the standard bread for Shabbat. Two loaves on the table. A cloth over them. Candles beside them. Every part of it carries meaning that goes back further than any of us.

I'm not Jewish, and I'm not teaching religion here. I'm a baker who respects what this bread is. And if I've gotten anything wrong in the way I tell it, please tell me. I'll listen.

Watch the deck. Then come bake with us Saturday.

🍞 Recipe: https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/special-round-challah

Perfection is not required. Progress is.

Henry ⭐🔥

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