Breads and Bakes

At the Jewish table, a meal begins with a blessing over the bread. Bread is one of the most basic foods in the Jewish diet. The variety is staggering, from sweet and tender challah eaten on Shabbat, to hefty sourdough ryes of the Ukraine, flat breads of the Middle East and crisp unleavened matzos that Jews all over the world eat ritually for Pesach. This section also includes a variety of sweet and spicy bakes, many based on Ashkenazic treats from the Old Country.