“Rising, The Book of Challah” by Rochie Pinson. (Feldheim Publishers, August 2017)
If I wrote that I had been trying to get a review copy of this book since November 2017, readers would find that hard to believe, but the book arrived at my door recently.
If I wrote that Rebbetzin Pinson has written 352 pages about challah, you would ask — are those recipes?
Well, yes and no. This is truly her philosophy, spirituality, history and everything you wanted to know about challah, including 38 recipes.
“The intent of challah,” writes the rebbetzin, “is to reveal our innate power to nurture and nourish, and reclaim our mothering potential in all the forms it can take.”
Section I, the Story of Challah, explains how this young rebbetzin bride arrived in Kobe, Japan, with no kosher bakery, soon got into making 40 challot for the Jewish community.
The rebbetzin then expands to other information about challah and her connections, a detailed examination of each ingredient and information on rising.
Section II is the Cookbook with reviews and details of ingredients and equipment and troubleshooting.
There are eight classic recipes including her own classic challah recipe, gluten free challah and vegan challah; eight holiday specialties like apple and honey challah and pretzel challah; six recipes from around the world such as Moroccan challah, Yemenite challah and Bukharian challah; nine challah embellishments including “fishy” (a challah shaped like a fish with salmon, tuna, mushrooms and other vegetables; deli challah (yes, with deli meats!) and rainbow challah using food coloring; eight recipes for leftover challah like babka, cinnamon bars and French toasts; and seven challah toppings and accompaniments, such as cream cheese frosting, challah stuffing, and challah croutons.
Section III are Laws and Customs such as “separating challah,” challah customs and challah meditations.
The book concludes with a glossary and index.
Besides the recipes, there are 108 color photographs (and I might have missed a few!) and many sketches such as 37 ways to braid and shape a challah.
This book is really everything you ever wanted to know about challah written with love and nurturing. It is filled with a huge amount of information including the story of the rebbetzin’s life “as realized through challah baking, and challah baking as a metaphor for balanced, integrated nurturing of our self and our loved ones.”
Rebetzin Rochie Pinson, who grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, cofounded the IYYUN Center for Jewish Spirituality with her husband, Rav DovBer Pinson, 10 years ago, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, New York. They have four children. She mentors women and teaches classes including the challah baking workshop, which she teaches worldwide.
Is this the book to give to anyone who bakes challah? Absolutely and to anyone else who might be contemplating it.
Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, author, compiler/editor of nins kosher cookbooks and food writer for North American Jewish publications, who lives in Jerusalem where she leads weekly walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English.
