Photo courtesy of Lynne Goldberg
Lynne Goldberg grew up surrounded by the scents of sweet challah bread. Whenever she entered her grandmother’s house, she immediately noticed the aromas of food.
“What’s cookin’?” her grandmother would say.
Now, Goldberg makes challah, a moist, slightly sweet Jewish egg bread, every Friday night for Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. She also bakes challah for almost all Jewish holidays, since it is traditionally found on holiday tables.
While Goldberg enjoys challah with her family, she also sells it to fellow community members through her business, What’s Cookin’.
Every Friday, Goldberg bakes about 20 fresh loaves of challah for customers who placed their orders on Facebook. She offers a variety of flavors, including plain, raisin, poppy, sesame, everything and cinnamon.
Goldberg’s challahs are round to symbolize life. Traditionally, round challah is only enjoyed on Rosh Hashanah, but Goldberg takes this symbol in a new direction.
“I figure, why not celebrate life all year?” she says. “So my challahs are always round.”
Once a quarter, Goldberg donates the proceeds from What’s Cookin’ to a charity of her choice. In the past, she has given to Harmony Project, the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, various hospices and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
“(Each of the charities) has some sort of meaning to me,” says Goldberg. “I’m a member of Harmony Project, and I love that organization.”
Goldberg also had connections to both hospice organizations and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through her parents, so she felt called to give back to the organizations.
Those who wish to place an order with What’s Cookin’ can call Goldberg at 614-204-0744.
Recipe
Two Loaves of Challah
Courtesy of Lynne Goldberg
INGREDIENTS
- 3 ¾ tsp. active dry yeast
- 9 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups lukewarm water
- ½ cup olive oil or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
- 5 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. table salt
- 8-8 ½ cups all-purpose floor
DIRECTIONS
- In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp. of sugar in water. Set aside for 5 minutes until a bit foamy.
- Whisk oil into the yeast. Then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, with remaining sugar and salt. Gradually add flour. When the dough holds together, it is ready for kneading.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. Clean out the bowl and grease it, then return dough to bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until almost double in size. Punch down, cover and let rise again in a warm place for another half-hour.
- Divide the dough in half. To make a six-braid challah, either straight or circular, take half of the dough and form it into six balls. With your hands, roll each ball into a strand about 12 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide. Place the six strands in a row, parallel to one another. Pinch the tops of the strands together. Move the outside right strand over two strands. Then take the second strand from the left and move it to the far right. Take the outside left strand and move it over two. Move second strand from the right over to the far left. Start over with the outside right strand. Continue this until all strands are braided. For straight loaf, tuck ends underneath. For the circular loaf, twist into a circle, pinching ends together. Make a second loaf the same way. Place braided loaves on a greased cookie sheet with at least 2 inches in between.
- Beat remaining egg and brush it on loaves. Let rise another hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and brush loaves again with egg wash.
- Bake in middle of oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden (instant read thermometer hits an internal temperature of 190 degrees). Cool loaves on rack. Enjoy!
Sarah Grace Smith is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
