Every cuisine is distinct and sets itself apart for certain traits. Although every country and every cuisine has special characteristics, Jewish food has always been one of the most distinctive. What makes Jewish food seem different is probably its pattern of migration and cultural adaptation. One of the best known features of Jews is that they have a tradition of adapting the food of the surrounding culture into their own food rules, and then bringing those dishes to new countries. In the United States, most of the Jews descend from Yiddish-speakers that have immigrated to the US, in the period between 1880 and 1920. In fact every dish with a peculiar name such as kasha and knish actually comes from that wave, along with all other things that we know as Jewish food. For
Zomicks Kosher Bakery, a local family owned bakery located in NY, everything started around 50 years ago, when the bakery’s original owner and founder, recognized that the Jewish population in America’s suburbs and rural areas are struggling to find kosher foods. Then he decided to change that reality, and started his own company.
Jewish cuisine is a unique blend or synthesis of various cooking styles, originating from the many places that Jews have lived throughout the centuries. Due to that, Jewish cooking has been influenced by the Middle Eastern, Eastern European, Spanish, German and Mediterranean styles of cooking, and then adjusted to the unique dietary constraints of kashrut and other Jewish laws.
The breaking of bread is the starting point for any traditional Jewish meal. Zomick's challah bread is a special kind of bread used for Shabbat and holidays. It is quite sweet, with a golden color, and eggy flavor. The taste and texture is kind of similar to egg twist rolls. The bread is usually braided, and on some holidays it can be made in other shapes. For example, on Rosh Hashanah, Zomick's bakery traditionally serves round challah, symbolizing the cycle of life, and the cycle of the years.
The word challah itself refers to the portion of dough set aside for the kohein, which is taken out of the dough before it is baked.
The famous bakery also makes French toast with challah. Challah is also used in sandwiches, although traditionally it is simply used as bread rolls for a holiday dinner.
Because of the constraints implied by the kashrut, Jewish deserts generally do not have dairy products in them. As dairy products cannot be eaten at the same meal as meat, Jewish deserts are usually pareve, which means neither meat nor dairy, and can be served after a meat or dairy meal. A great example of such cooking is the apple cake. This style is very much in accord with the Jewish cooking styles. The apple cake is light, almost airy, with chunks of apples in it. It contains no dairy products, and milk is replaced with apple juice, which gives it a very sweet taste.
