Why challah specifically?
Joan Nathan: According to the law, there are three Shabbat mitzvahs, or good deeds, for a woman: going to the mikvah [a ritual bath], lighting Friday night candles, and making challah. When my daughters turned 13, I asked Manfred Loeb, a baker, to come over and teach them how, and he and they together would make enough challah for their bat mitzvahs. Now when friends’ children are getting bar or bat mitzvahed I’ll go over and do a session with them. Epicurious: How have American Jews influenced the cuisine? Joan Nathan: Like Italian Americans, Jewish Americans wanted everything to be bigger, richer, and especially sweeter than it was in Europe. Big sweet-and-sour braised briskets are definitely American. Also sweet noodle kugels with cornflake toppings, sweet challah and huge bagels, and cream-cheese cakes with cookie crusts. Unfortunately, we have a sweet tooth, and not just at Rosh Hashanah when you’re supposed to eat sweet things for a sweet New Year. Epicurious: What are you workin
