Babka with Chanie

As we approach the Holiday season I got the opportunity to sit down with Chanie Apfelbaum, from Busy in Brooklyn, to talk about Kosher baking. Kosher means to follow Jewish Law, which sometimes includes rules about food and its preparation. Food that is vegetarian is naturally Kosher because it does not have any risk of violating rules such as mixing meat and dairy, or using a non-kosher type of meat. This means that even our classic baked goods follow Kosher guidelines! Chanie talked about some of the most popular, traditional Jewish recipes and how most of them contain some kind of dairy or egg product. This shows how we have changed our eating patterns. They are now influenced by multiple sources, not just religion.

Chanie and I have something in common, we both love taking updating traditions for modern times. In my case we have taken my family's lefse recipe and made a vegan version to serve in out store. For Chanie she has dedicated her life and career to bringing traditional Jewish recipes into her everyday life as a millenial.

Specifically, Chanie and I worked together to create a series of vegan Babka and Challah breads for the Hanukkah season. Babka is sweet braided bread from the Ukrainian Jewish Community and Challah is a braided bread from the Russian Jewish Community. Both are eaten at many different celebrations and on Shabbat, the day of rest. We are both dedicated to reinventing classic dishes for today's life. The key to that is distilling what is at the core of the tradition. Then you figure out how to preserve that central element that makes you feel connected to the past, while making it more accessible for your modern life.

For more information about Kosher eating and recipes, visit Chanie's website Busyinbrooklyn.com. The recipes from Chanie's Busy in Brooklyn will be available in store and online at Flourish.

Note they will not be baked on Saturdays to pay respect to the Jewish tradition of Shabbat.

See you soon,

Katie Ohren