Challah Back, Girl!

Yesterday I baked my first loaf of Challah – pronounced like the urban term “holla” (hah’ lah) - which is a Jewish word that apparently means, “braided egg bread made from donut dough.”

What sets Challah apart from most bread you buy in the store is the addition of eggs in the dough. Eggs give the finished product a spongier consistency that’s somewhere between donuts and bagels, but the bread retains the crustiness of a French loaf. The word on the street – and by street I mean my cookbooks – is that Challah makes great French toast.

I think this is a great example of how food can build religious tolerance. If France, a traditionally Catholic nation, can accept using a Jewish bread in its national non-omelette breakfast dish…well then we’ll be one step closer to a worldwide rendition of “kumbaya.”

Katie and I can’t be the only two people who have caught on the the fact that the word Challah is totally useful for Jewish bakeries looking to appeal to younger, humor-seeking patrons (are there Jewish bakeries? I seem to remember something about leavened bread…). But just look at these potential products and promotions, for example…

Challah Back Bread

Challah for a Dolla’

Happy Challah-day Bread

It-should-be-illegal-to-deny-the-Challah-caust Loaf (ok that probably wouldn’t fly)

Happy Challah-ween Trick-or-Treat Bread

Ma-Challah Hawaiian Loaf (like the word “mahalo” for “thank you”)

Le-Challah-im! To Bread! (like LeChaim, which means “to life”…watch Fiddler on the Roof, you Christians)

Happy Challah-nnukah Eight-Day/Night Bread Sale!

Celebrate the High Challah Days!

Don’t “Pass Over” our Challah!

I Like This Bread Challot!

Queen City “Challotte” Bread

Cafe Chal-latte

Welcome the Challahm Globetrotters

I Know This Bread Is Done Because When I Tap It, It Sounds Challah Inside

A co-promotion for Hollow Man’s 8th anniversary re-release called “Challah Man.”

Our Bread, Which Art in the Bakery, Challah-ed Be Thy Name…

Anyhow, find a recipe, clean the counter and make a loaf. Challah by any other name would be as sweet.

We’re married, y’all!

Woohoo, it’s official! We’ve started a blog! Wait .. that’s not the BIG news! Let’s try this again…

Woohoo, it’s official! We’re husband and wife! We were married in a beautiful ceremony in Beaufort, NC, on June 21, 2008. Our wedding was wonderful and more perfect than either of us ever could’ve imagined. Thank you to our 215+ closest friends and family members who made the trip in our honor. We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we did. 

We have so many incredible memories from our big day. Ann Street United Methodist Church in Beaufort was just a beautiful setting for our ceremony. Special thanks to the bridesmaids for helping keep an eye on our adorable niece Abby (the flower girl) who certainly made us all chuckle throughout the ceremony. Somehow we managed to say our vows correctly, and boy did it feel good to say them! After the ceremony, we were both pleasantly surprised to see so many of our guests outside of the church, waiting for us to get in our antique Carolina blue Chevy.

And then there was the reception at the Country Club of the Crystal Coast in Pine Knoll Shores … so many good times to look back on! The sound and golf course made the perfect backdrop for a night that will live on in our hearts forever. Maybe some of you are still trying to comprehend Will’s special performance that kicked off our reception, or perhaps you’re still laughing at our kinda-serious-kinda-silly-but-totally-Katie-and-Will first dance. The food was outstanding, and our wedding cake was just delightful. And then the dancing … and let us not forget the cowbell! Need more cowbell!

I’ll never forget our first kiss as husband and wife. I’ll never forget my dad’s toast to us. And I’ll never forget dancing with my girls (Mom, Maddie and Abby) to “Roam” and “Dancing Queen” (just a few of ”our” songs). Most importantly, though, I’ll never forget all of the love we felt that day – our love for each other, your love for us, our family’s love and acceptance of each other.

Please tell us – what is your favorite memory of our wedding?

Husband and Wife