Chałka

Chałka might be the most common baked good in Poland—I’ve never seen a bakery without it. What makes this enriched braided egg bread distinct is the generous streusel topping, which gives it a sweet crunch and texture.

Ten years ago, I went to Brok, the small village on the Bug River halfway between Warsaw and Białystok where my great-grandparents were born. I got lost looking for the cemetery, the only trace of Jewish history left in the town, and, as an excuse to ask directions fr