By COLlive reporter
Rochie Pinson, master of all things challah, and author of “Rising: The Book of Challah,” is back in cookbook writing mode, but this time her cookbook brings the whole family into the kitchen!
Having seen the positive impact that challah-making has on the family, and hearing from people how much their children love making challah, Pinson decided that it was time that there was a book for the whole family to enjoy together.
The result is “The KIDS Book of Challah: Challah Adventures For The Whole Family,” a 288-page guide featuring recipes, ideas and tutorials published by Feldheim Publishers. Pinson, a Chabad Shlucha in Brooklyn, says the goal is to bring the next generation of home-makers and challah-bakers into the kitchen.
The following are excerpts from her interview with COLlive.com:
Question: What compelled you to write yet another cookbook that is only about challah?
Rochie: I’ll take you back to where this all started! My challah journey began some 25 years ago as an emergency. My husband (Rav Dovber Pinson) and I were in Kobe, Japan, on Merkos Shlichus for Tishrei. Upon arriving, I was informed that as the rebbetzin, I would be responsible for making challah for the whole community for all the yomim tovim — and I had never made challah before in my life.
That first experience of baking seemingly endless amounts of challah and feeding them to the Jews of Kobe, stuck with me in a powerful (positive!) way, even as we came back to New York, and went on Shlichus much closer by, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Each week, I baked challah, and invited women in my growing community to come and bake with me.
As the waiting list grew, I realized that these women were yearning to connect to both their innate nurturing capacity that had, with feminism and modernity, been long ignored and their Jewish roots. And they wanted to do so through the making of challah that their grandmothers and great-grandmothers had been making for generations and which had been lost to them and their mothers.
So after a decade or so of these challah workshops (before the Mega Challah Bake trend was even a thing!), I wrote a book, and after that—a cookbook—on challah. In “The Rising Life” and then “RISING! The Book of Challah” I shared my challah recipes, along with recipes for living an elevated, mindful life and creating a home in which the soul is nourished along with the body.
Question: What happened after you published your first book? Were people buying this? A whole cookbook and book of challah?
Rochie: The response to the book was tremendous. We are already in the third printing since the book was released 5 years ago. It is now considered a bestseller! I had enormous siyata Dishmaya with it, and started taking the book with me as I began to travel nationally, and then internationally, speaking about the mitzvah of challah, and all the mitzvos of the woman, and on the way, inspiring countless women to bring this mitzvah into their own lives, transforming their homes, and their families through this delicious mitzvah and the 3 mitzvos of women.
Question: So what prompted you to write another cookbook?
Rochie: March 2020. More specifically, Covid 19, and with it, the shutdown of my Chabad House, along with every other shul and organization in the world. In the beginning, I was on the phone all day, as one by one each challah bake that had been booked—some many months and even years—in advance, was canceled, or postponed.
But then in this time of darkness, something wonderful and unexpected happened…
First of all, people started baking bread. Sourdough, baguettes, pitas, and of course, Challah. Lots and lots of challah. Everyone was home and looking for comfort and stability, and something to feed their soul, and they found it in the baking of challah. Soon there were national shortages of yeast and flour, and a global fascination with this Jewish mystical bread… Sales of the cookbook went up!
And then, the phone calls started coming in, and this time they weren’t for cancellations – but rather, for virtual “zoom” challah bakes. Shuls, JCC’s and Chabad Houses that had not been able to afford to fly in a guest speaker before could now have me speak at their challah bakes, no airline fees, or accommodations necessary. Everyone was thrilled that they had found a way to connect their communities, and spark the ‘pintele yid,’ without anyone leaving home!
And here’s where things got really interesting. Most of my challah bakes have been for women, or at least adults. But now – the whole family was in on the challah action. And the kids were the MOST joyful and engaged of all.
One evening, on a virtual challah bake with many homes in California, I observed the children lighting up at the opportunity to make a challah, laughing excitedly at the thought of an unexpected challah recipe or shape. I realized that the kids, tweens, and teens of the homes, were bringing a fresh perspective to this delicious mitzvah.
The many messages I was receiving on social media, and to my email, confirmed this. Parents and grandparents told me that their children have become passionate about challah, are pushing them to make challah, and are making the challah themselves. And how, with the enthusiasm they have for this mitzvah, it has become a highlight in their home, and a bright point at an otherwise very dark moment.
I’ll share a message from one mom that really made an impression on me: “I read a book to my kids (7 and 9 years old) each night before bed, and they get to pick the book they want. A few weeks ago, they decided they wanted me to read them your cookbook “Rising!” I thought it was funny that they would choose a cookbook, but as we started reading it, they got more and more excited. They loved the recipes, the stories behind each one, and the photos and braiding. They even connected with your writings on nurturing. We have been reading your cookbook every night since… and we started baking challah together. It has transformed our family, and we’ve started making Shabbat meals each week to go along with the challah. Before this, I couldn’t get them to leave the screen and join me for ANYTHING. Thank you.”
That is “V’heishiv lev avos al bonim, ubonim al avoisam.” The Rebbe always understood the power of the children, and what can be accomplished when they are shown the beauty and deliciousness of yiddishkeit.
A child that grows up baking challah, on their own or alongside their mother, will be a child who knows and loves Shabbos and yiddishkeit. This will in turn transform the home that she eventually builds into a mini beis hamikdash.
This became my new addition to my challah mission! To introduce the kids to challah, hadlakas neiros and the beauty of Shabbos in the home. And what better way than by giving them their own cookbook?
Question: How does this book differ from your first book? What makes it unique for kids, and what ages would you say it’s best for?
Rochie: Firstly, I created this to be a cookbook for the whole family – the subtitle of the book is “Challah Adventures for the Whole Family” and that’s what I hope it will be. A way to bring the whole family into the adventure of making Shabbos and challah.
I also wanted this book to be not only for younger kids, but something that a bat mitzvah girl would be honored to own, and even tweens and teens. So the book is intentionally not childish or babyish at all. And yet, it is still very much for kids. The publisher lists it as ages 5-14.
The photography is gorgeous and sophisticated, but along with that, I included whimsical illustrations throughout to bring the challah recipes to life and inject some humor and entertainment into it as well. I also had real kids make the recipes and photographed them doing the recipes step by step – so the instructions are accompanied by clear and easy visuals. (I have a feeling adults will love this feature as well!)
The recipes include many new recipes for interesting and flavorful challahs, such as “challapeno” cornbread challah, “challo-ha tropical challah,” gingerbread challah and much, much more. There are also recipes for challahs for each yom tov, for each of life’s special milestones and simchas, challahs for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and of course, challahs for dessert!
Additionally, there are so many ways to take a piece of classic challah dough and transform it into something magical – like a unicorn challah! A cheese flower challah! A cinnamon snail made of challah! A challah shofar! And then there are the challah toppings, spreads and fillings plus a whole section on decorating and braiding. There are close to 100 unique recipes and ideas in this book… enough to keep the whole family entertained and soul fed for many years to come.
In addition to the recipes, there is a section on lighting shabbos candles, with the bracha, and for setting a shabbos table – along with beautiful explanations for all things that go on the table for Shabbos. The laws and customs of hafrashas challah are discussed in kid-friendly language, and the hows and whys of challah segulos as well. As well as a whole section explaining the tools of the kitchen, basic cooking and baking terms, and a beautiful explanation of each ingredient that goes into challah… all gorgeously photographed and illustrated of course!
Question: What are your hopes for this book?
Rochie: I dedicated this book to the Rebbe. To quote my dedication, “In honor of the Lubavitcher Rebbe who inspired this book. He dreamed and campaigned for the light of Shabbat in every home, and for every Jewish child to feel its warmth.”
It is my hope that the warmth and joy of Shabbos will permeate each home and the heart of every Jewish child through the act of making challah. We always learned that Moshiach will come when every Jew keeps at least one Shabbos. I hope that with the children learning the beauty of Shabbos early on, the fires of their neshamahs and their shabbos candles will illuminate the way towards the final geulah and Moshiach. Now.
The cookbook is now available in Jewish bookstores around the world and on Amazon Prime.
Rochie this book is so inspiring and fun!
I eagerly preordered two books at the first opportunity, and it did not disappoint. This challah cookbook is gorgeous, interesting, enticing and fun!
I look forward to baking (and eating!) with my family.
Thank you, thank you, thank you