DISCLOSURE: I received three products for the purpose of this review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed herein are my own and based on my own use of and experience with the item(s).
I love to bake bread. I grew up watching my Nanie baking biscuits, cakes, and bread. I close my eyes and I can smell the yeast and raw dough... then bread baking in the oven... such a lovely memory.
:)
I baked a lot of brownies and cakes when Lizz was a kid. But not too much bread. I don't know why... maybe... I didn't think I could do it justice the way Nanie had done.
However, I AM baking bread again!
Just recently, I was delighted to discover
Voila Hallah Egg Bread Mixes. Hallah (or Challah) Bread is the traditional egg bread of the Jewish People. It's braided and baked and served on Shabbat (The Sabbath) and most holidays.
According to Jewish tradition, the three Sabbath meals and two holiday meals each begin with two complete loaves of bread. This "double loaf" commemorates the manna that fell from the Heavens when the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years after the Exodus from Egypt according to Jewish religious belief.
The manna did not fall on Sabbath or holidays; instead, a double portion would fall the day before the holiday or sabbath. Each single loaf is sometimes woven with six strands.
Together, both loaves have twelve which may represent each tribe of Israel. Other numbers of strands commonly used are three, five and seven. Occasionally twelve are used, referred to as a "Twelve Tribes" Challah.
I don't have a stand mixer, so I made the bread by hand. Because I made it early, I didn't get the pics I wanted. But I will tell you the directions are easy to follow and clearly spelled out!
I loved every minute of the process... from proofing the yeast to kneading the dough. Watching it rise gently and then braiding. For me, doing this by hand, connected me to my Mother... and her Mother... and back to the days of Miryam and Ruth... Judith and Elizabeth. This is how it has always been, Mother to Daughter.
It's a very intense feeling of family when making bread for those whom you love -- for we do not break bread with our enemies.
The bread comes out of the oven and it's so very tempting to dive right in, but I didn't. I waited until Mike got home and we ate every bite of that amazing bread!
Try all three varieties of Voilà! Hallah:
- Traditional Egg Bread Mix
- Wholey Wheat Egg Bread Mix
- Simply Spelt Egg Bread Mix
Our whole grain — wheat and spelt–flours are certified organic, as is our flavoring. Our products are certified Kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU).
My favourite is the Traditional Egg Bread Mix. Light, slightly sweet. Just so very good! I think Mike liked the Wholey Wheat the best, though! I'm saving the Simply Spelt for an upcoming special occassion!
Tribes-A-Dozen™
Mission Statement
Tribes-A-Dozen™ offers a diverse line of high-quality, natural baking mixes so that even our busiest follower could create bread with the taste, aroma, and quality expected of a bread made from scratch.
WE SEE bread-baking as an expression of life's simplest joys, which Tribes-A-Dozen aims to spread by rekindling the tradition of baking bread at home.
WE BELIEVE that we nourish and share our humanity through the baking and breaking of bread and that no one would go hungry if every person mastered the basics of bread-baking.
WE RESOLVE to forge connections to all people and to the earth that are as straightforward and as warm as a freshly-baked loaf of bread.
Tribes-A-Dozen has some awesome recipes posted on their
blog including this delicious
Pumpkin Cheese Babka!
Does that not look scrumptious? I want to eat that so much!
:D
You can find
Voila Hallah at many stores nationally, just click here for their
Store Locator. You can also find them on
Amazon.com.
You may connect with
Tribes-A-Dozen on their Social Media Pages:
@tribesadozen on Twitter,
Facebook, and
Pinterest.
The kind folks at
Tribes-A-Dozen have generously offered my readers the same great sampler package that I received! I know you'll be pleased!
Just follow the entry instructions below for your chance to enter to win!
***Open to USA only. All entries will be verified.***
Previous winners of Tribes-A-Dozen giveaways are ineligible.
