This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to winners Danit B. and Chaya L.
I used to be a challah buyer.
In my first six years of my marriage, I don’t think I baked a single challah – a fact of which I’m neither proud nor ashamed. I lived in Israel those first six years, and sticky-sweet challot were plentiful and cheap.
But then we moved to Kansas, where challah costs at least $5 per loaf. I nearly choked on the $15+ we’d spent on challah each week. And so we became challah bakers.
At first, my husband made the challot, but over the last two years, I have taken on this job more and more — until I’ve finally embraced it as “my thing”.
I will admit that sometimes it stresses me out (“Gotta make the doughnuts challah!”), but I’ve found that mostly I love the process.
Especially the braiding.
I braid five strands, which I know is usual, but I do one strand for each of my three children, plus two more for me and my husband.
It’s such a subtle, yet physical, way to demonstrate love for my family.
When I take that sticky dough in my hands, and shape it into imperfect braids, I become part of a community of challah bakers.
All over the world, there are a multitude of us kneading and rolling and braiding and egg washing, dividing and making brachot.
Whether your flour is white or wheat or spelt; whether you braid with three, or four, or six – or an odd five, like me, challah baking is a fairly universal — and one might argue quintessential — Jewish experience.
Which is why my first reaction to a book called “A Taste of Challah” was … Really? A whole book just about challah?!
But an old friend promised me that this is really a lovely cookbook – plus, he told me (knowing this would sweeten the pot for me), it’s on sale thru May 13th (15% off with free shipping from Feldheim).
He even sent me out a copy of A Taste of Challah by Tamar Ansh last week for my review. My dubiousness gave way to delight – I was was very pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked this book.
There is an extensive section dedicated to the myriad ways to braid challot. I loved the napkin rings and wine holders. And the basket weave was incredible — for the patient baker, I think it could be gorgeous for your Shavuot table. (A simpler choice would be flower-shaped challot, which she also features in her book.)
You will also find a dozen or so new challah recipes, from traditional to honey wheat to gluten-free. The last section of the book has a number of dips which look very yummy, plus non-challah breads, both yeast and non-yeast.
Interspersed throughout the recipes and braiding tips are personal stories from different women about their experiences with baking challah.
First published in 2007, this most recent printing of A Taste of Challah is truly a lovely book – and I think it would make a great gift for any woman, whether she’s just starting to bake her own challah, or she’s a pro with decades of experience.
Thru May 13, you can buy A Taste of Challah for $29.74, with free media shipping from Feldheim.com.
And thru May 12th, you can enter to win one of two copies that I am giving away!
To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling me whether you are a baker or a buyer. And if you bake, I’d love to know how many strands you typically braid.
This giveaway is open only to residents of the United States who are 18 or older. Entries will be accepted until Sunday, May 12th at 11:59 p.m. CST. The winner will be selected randomly and notified by email immediately. He or she will have 48 hours to respond. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of “A Taste of Challah” to facilitate my review; Feldheim Books will also provide the winner of this contest with his or her cookbook. I m an affiliate of Feldheim.com, however I was not compensated for hosting this giveaway nor for sharing my (positive) opinions. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations. And also because I want you to know.
I bake a loaf of bread in my breadmaker, which is delicious and totally acceptable as challah:)
Now that I have a bread machine, I’m totally a baker!!! I do two bigger six stranders and a handful of personal sized rolls
I’m a challah baker! I tend to make mine with either four or five strands, but I have been known to make round braids (thank you, KOAB tutorial) or a Magen David challah.
Baker three I try six fail
I bake! And I do 6 strands….would love to learn 5 though! 🙂
I like to bake and have experimented with combining some brownie and cookie recipes. I have never tried challahs and have cut back on baking since I have been married because my FIL works at a bakery and brings home bakery items for everyone.
definately a buyer of challah……..altho my dad used to bake challa every other week with his mother’s recipe.she would make a loaf and then put a skinny braid on top…..these
were german water challot……..
I usually end up buying challah, but If I have time to bake… I’m a 4-strander.
I’m a baker and I love to participate in a hafrashas challah circle, where 40 women are mafrish challah and daven for someone.
I am a BAKER, through and through! Funny/true story: I first started baking challah about 8 years ago, after my rebbetzin shared her recipe with me (I had baked everything under the sun, but never challah). After I altered/perfected the recipe to my taste, I taught my mother (also a lover of baking) how to bake challah. My mom would call me for tips, advice, and with a million questions; it was clear that *I* was the expert, and my mother (who had always been my baking inspiration) the student. Now, 8 years later, my mother is a WAY better challah baker than I am, and she regularly bakes up to 80 loaves for shul dinners! People in her community flock to taste the challah she bakes in her (or her shul’s) ovens. She also taught me how to braid with more strands (we both prefer the 4-strand look). Regardless of who bakes the better challah, it is definitely an activity we love to do together, and it has made us even closer than we once were (and that’s a tall order!). I regularly teach challah baking to friends, but at the end of the day my mother is the champ.
I am a baker! I feel like its such a beautiful thing to do on friday mornings!!! i usually braid three or six braid but i like to experiment with shapes etc…
There are a lot a brachos in baking challah and doing hafrasha!
I am a buyer of challah. I do occasionally make my own challah. Sometimes my daughter and I and a few friends will get together and make challah together (so much fun!)
im an occasional baker of the most boring three braid type. but the taste makes up for the lack of creativity 🙂
I am definitely a baker, and purchased a bread machine recently to do the kneading for me because I am finding it more difficult to do with arthritis. I just tried to braid with four strands for the first time, I have only used three in the past. The bread machine only allows five cups of flour, and I am using your recipe which calls for five and a half cups, so the dough was too sticky. I need to figure out an adjustment to the recipe to accommodate the bread maker.
baker… 3 or 6 and single strand bulkleach 😉
A baker! My family loves homemade challah. I make 5lb every 2-3 weeks, depending on how much company I have.
I’m a buyer, but I’d love to change that 🙂
i’m a buyer-it’s cheaper than buying the frozen loaf, but I would love to have the skills to do it weekly like some of my show off friends!
I work late hours and don’t usually have a lot of time to make challah but my husband LOVES my challah so I try to do it as often as possible I make challahs with 4-6 strands.
baker and a buyer. since I got a bread machine I make it more often. Usually 3 strand or round.
I am both – I love baking challah, love the way the house smells, but some weeks it is just not possible – and even though I usually bake ahead and then freeze, sometimes that freezer supply depletes and I end up buying… I do mainly pull aparts to save time – but when I braid it’s typically 3 or 4.
i bake almost every week, and when I braid I use 3 strands. A friend onces howed me a pretty way to make a braided challah and put in a loaf pan–so the top looks braided and the rest looks “loafy”. I’m afraid to try the complicated braids. 🙂
I am a baker
I love to bake, I bake every other week and make 6 challot, and freeze 3 for the following week. I usually use 4 strands, but my kids love when I make a “pull apart,” which is actually ridiculously easy!
I use my breadmachine for dough and bake challe that way. I usually make one 3 strands challe and few bilkes .
soory – bake with six strands
I alternate between baking and buying. When I bake, I like to make a four-strand challah.
I’m a buyer (we purchase through our kids’ preschool, which they do as a fundraiser), but I wish I had both the time and patience to be a challah baker!
I am a baker & make with 3 strands because I just can’t figure out how to make with more!
There are several tutorials on the internet showing how to braid with extra strands of dough. That is how I am learning.
baker and I make 3 strands, pull apart challah or challah rolls
I bake when we are having guests but usually end up buying when we don’t. I braid with 4 strands!
definitely a buyer! i like to get it from moishe’s on 2nd ave. if i’m in the neighborhood.
I bake on a weekly basis, 6 strands! Love the smell and taste of fresh Challah!!!
i’m a baker and i make 6 strands.
I bake! I use my breadmaker for small batches and my Bosch for big batches. My girls are now starting to braid with me!
This first year of my marriage I made challah once. Then for my first anniversary, my parents bought me a bread machine. Now I make it almost every week using my mom’s recipe 🙂
I am a baker! I make challah every week! My favorite is 6 braids!
Bake it! I just tried my first four strand braid this week – i usually do three!!
I am a buyer of the sweet/sticky kind, but would love to try to bake them. I used to drive 50 miles to buy these luscious challot, but the bakery was sold and the challah doesn’t taste quite as good now.
I am a buyer, and my mom and MIL are bakers. I am nervous about making a challah that compares to our bakery in Chicago…maybe this cookbook will give me that boost of confidence!
I’m a baker and a buyer! I try different recipes every time
Mostly buyer. Sometimes my wife makes it, but not frequently.
Buyer. Wish I had time to be a baker!
I am a challah buyer due to our busy schedules. We are hoping at some point to get our kids involved to bake challah each week.
I’m a “buyer” but I’m very open to the idea of being a “baker”. Perhaps a book like this would help me take the plunge?!
I’m a buyer!
I’m a baker!! I make pull-a-parts, 3 braid and 5 braid. Would love to learn different ways to braid/shape my challah!
I try to bake Challah when I have a chance! I am a 3 or 4 strand braider.
Baker and buyer – depending on how busy my week is. Usually 4 strands. Thanks for the great giveaway!
I’ve never had homemade challah only ever store bought. Would love to be able to make my own.