I will answer. This is me calling!!! I sliced up the last 2 pieces of the first Challah, spread some plum jam from my Chef friend Joyce Liu, and reveled in the uneven chunks of fruit, the deep color and the balance of sweet and tart as my teeth broke off a piece of the firm, toasted, 2 day old bread.
I’m thinking of Joyce as she takes the Bar Exam this week, sending her my strength to persevere; we can do difficult things, whether that is take a 5 hour exam or learn how to turn ground wheat into bread.
This is a breakfast sweet. I remind us that life is not all hard work to a difficult and bitter end. Even when things are a little too tough, like my Challah, giving a little bit of attention, like toasting, and care, like jam, we can create change, together.
You can start today.
Challah is my favorite (hands down) bread. There’s nothing I don’t like on my challah, jam, butter, cream cheese, peanut butter, or just plain with nothing at all dressing it up. My grandson Elan likes it toasted with nothing on it. My grandson Nigel likes it fresh with butter or cream cheese. Challah is a very versatile bread. It can serve as an appetizer or as a main course for breakfast.
The first bite takes me back to my childhood. We always had fresh baked challah every Friday. My mother and my aunt Molly would collaborate on making it while I was at school. I would smell it baking when I got off the elevator. It would be gone by Sunday. I think that was the joy of the tradition. It was ephemeral. It would be created early on the day before shabbos nacht and almost as though it was inhaled it would vanish when the sabbath was over.