Around the Table: Kneading Connection These High Holidays

October 2024

By Charlotte Rouchouze

Sometime around Nov. 2023, a few weeks after the Simchat Torah invasion of Israel, and about as many weeks into the shocking realization that much of the world (or the internet, at least) remains steeped in antisemitic tropes and resentment, my cousin Ben Smolen had an idea. Ben, a native Charlottean (and former Camp Mindy camper) who is now a professional flutist and music professor in Los Angeles, CA, decided to launch a virtual group therapy session on Fridays where a few inclined members of our far-flung family and some of his friends could simultaneously make challah. Since we had all discovered the benefits of therapy-baking during COVID, group challah-baking therapy seemed like an appropriate response to these difficult times. My other cousin Sarah Smolen, who now lives in Carrboro, NC, jumped on board, and we have since convened about once a month for a cross-country session in which we stir, knead, chat, and unload whatever is on our minds. We talk about our week, our families, our baking mishaps, as well as the latest antisemitic incident in our neighborhood or hateful clip we saw on the feed of a beloved friend or creator.

It just so happens that my cousins are also excellent bakers, always creating ever more beautiful challot, and so an extra bonus of our sessions is that later in the evening, as Shabbat settles in, we all get a thrill seeing photos of each other’s stunning final products. Our newest inductee might just be my niece Meris, 11, who I’ve baked with on many occasions, and who is shaping up to be a fine baker in her own right. An unspoken (and sometimes spoken) presence at all our gatherings is also our Grandma Betty Smolen, who passed away in 2022. She is the one who encouraged all of us to be together whenever possible and also to channel our energies into positive outlets. Every last Smolen has a creative endeavor that they toil at with joy, and it is a marvel to see them all. Embroidery, baking, drawing, photography, music, woodworking, glasswork, collage, design, and writing; we are truly a family that loves to keep our hands busy and create and admire beautiful things. This is undoubtedly the legacy of my grandmother, and surely creative relatives before her too.

There are some aspects of COVID times that have rightly and thankfully been put to bed. One that I hope will stay, however, is the easy shifting of live gatherings into virtual spaces when physical meetings are inconvenient or impossible. Starting a club in which your loved ones all commit to meeting on a certain day is a wonderful way to stay connected, and having a common activity you are engaged in makes the communication even more casual and real. One face disappears to place something in the oven; another drifts out to check on the cat; the conversation waxes and wanes as it does at home. We end up feeling recharged and pleased with our creations.

It has been a year of sadness over the violence and hate in Israel and Gaza; a year of deep worry over the way this conflict reverberates like no other across the entire world; a year of uncertainty about what all of this means for Jews around the world, and for our children at school and college. The only answers I have found are to be judicious about my media diet, to cling to people who remain loving and empathetic, and to keep our traditions strong.

Shanah Tova

Apple and Honey Bread Pudding with Honey Butter Sauce

This is a take on a bread pudding that uses some of my leftover challah and would be perfect for Rosh HaShanah. You could easily use a raisin challah if you like. It’s a flexible recipe that can be adjusted to your tastes. For this sauce, I wanted to highlight the honey flavor and so I recommend you use a high-quality wildflower honey.

For the bread pudding:

5 cups challah, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ stick of butter

½ cup sugar

3 medium apples, diced

2 eggs

2 cups whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. honey, plus extra for drizzling

For the sauce: ½ stick butter

1 heaping tbsp. flour

¼ cup fragrant honey

1 cup light cream

½ tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, add sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and honey and stir well. Add the bread and apple pieces and mix. Set aside while you preheat the oven to 350 ° and prepare a 9 x 13-inch pan by buttering the bottom and sides generously. Pour the mixture into the pan and press the bread down gently. Drizzle the top with more honey and place in the oven. Bake for about 45 minutes until bubbly and golden. Before serving, make the sauce by mixing flour and butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Stir continuously and slowly add the cream, honey, and vanilla. Bring it to a simmer. At this point, the sauce should thicken. Turn off the heat and serve the bread pudding topped with sauce.

Charlotte Rouchouze, PhD is a local French teacher, food blogger, and beaded jewelry designer. Her blog about food traditions from around the world can be found at www.thechildrenstable.com. Contact her at Charlotte.rouchouze@yahoo.com.