There is not much that can be said about bread. The humble
loaf that in its various manifestations forms the staple diet of more than half
the world is just another addition to the dinner table. Or so you would think,
unless you have been to a Jewish home. The importance of bread in Jewish life
can be seen in the rituals that are followed. When one sits down to at bread,
the hands must be washed in a certain way, and prayers recited concerning the
'washing of the hands'. When one is finished eating bread, the long Grace
(Birkas haMozon) must be recited thanking the lord for the gift of food.
Bread, when made the right way, is a wholesome and healthy
food. It contains the right amount of important nutrients and the Torah
contains specific instructions on how to bake bread. There are five cereals
that can be used for bread making, and wheat is the best of them as it results
in light and easily digestible bread that is also protein rich. Many of the
ingredients used in today's bakeries are not kosher and are not permitted to be
used in Jewish bread. Yiddish bakeries that make
bread and Jewish biscottis do so under strict
Rabbinical supervision, and in the right way as preached in the Torah.
The Mandelbrot - a
Jewish specialty
In a traditional Jewish bakery, one is always spoilt for
choice. One of the best known Jewish breads is
the biscotti-esque Mandel bread, or the
Mandelbrot; part cookie and part-bread and crunchy to the core. It has a crusty
exterior which many have likened to that of the Italian biscotti, but the
similarities end here. While the Italian cookie is a small, flat baked pastry,
the Jewish version is much softer due to its higher oil and butter content. The
Mandel bread, which is popularly known as
'Almond Bread', is usually flavored with rich and healthy ingredients like
almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, and pecans.
Mandel bread has a long
history - rabbis and merchants in the olden days used this as their staple diet
while travelling. The bread was nutritious enough to strengthen them as they
crossed the rough terrain, and would also keep for long without spoiling. Today
you can buy almond bread from a Jewish bakery,
or even buy Jewish bread online. You can either
choose the traditional bread with nuts and cherries that is an indelible part
of Jewish history, or you can choose to go with the new age variety that is
flavored with tempting treats like chocolate chips and candied fruit.
Celebrating the
holidays in tradition
As the high Holy Days approach, it is time again to celebrate
with the flavors of tradition. It's time to buy kosher
cookies and specially prepared bread. Rich in taste as well as religious
significance, Yiddish bread is the perfect accompaniment to the upcoming
holidays. There are many kinds of bread you can choose from and whether you
choose to dunk it in your Starbucks or the traditional tea, the flavors will
undoubtedly make you crave for more.
