Oval Challah Pan

[Comfort Me]

OK -- most of you are used to me by now. I never saw a tangent I didn't take. So I'll try to be merciful today.

Two years ago my wife and I attended a screaning of Trembling Before G-d, a very powerful film about the lives of gay and lesbian frum (Orthodox) Jews, struggling to live lives of both love and faith.

One powerful scene shows a lesbian couple in New York preparing for Shabbat -- kneading the challah, shaping it, etc. When the challah is shaped, they place the loaves into oval challah pans -- something I have never seen before. I am so shallow. The lesbian couple is crying out in pain, and I'm coveting their pans.

I want some! Ever since I saw them in this movie, I've wanted them. I tried e-mailing the couple through the movie web site, but never got a reply. Has anyone seen them? Do you know where I can buy them? Please help me!!! They were really great looking pans -- about 3" deep, and maybe 12" end to end. Big enough for one loaf of challah!

I'm looking forward to hearing from my eGulleteers! If anyone can help me, I bet you can! DOn't let me down!

See? I managed to get that down to a relatively reasonable sized post!

Edited March 23, 2004 by Comfort Me (log)

[Gifted Gourmet]

The lesbian couple are crying out in pain, and I'm coveting their pans. 

How about Sur La Table's website, Comfort Me? They claim to have everything ... or even this:

http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=198036

Simplicity of using an oval baking pan for challah? Who can refute the wisdom in that!?

and as for your line about "crying out in pain" ... and you "coveting their pans"? Absolutely brilliant!

Edited March 23, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

[marie-louise]

An oval cake pan from Wilton perhaps?

PS King Arthur has a Challah pan, but it makes a braid impression on a plain laof of dough. I'm assuming you still want to braid your challah, then place it in the pan, correct?

[bloviatrix]

Comfort Me, you are a sick, sick man.

My only though is you're going to have to make a trip back east and go to Boro Park - 13th Avenue. If the pan is out there, that's where you'll find it.

[bloviatrix]

Wait a second, I thought the lesbian couple lived in Miami Beach?

[Comfort Me]

Boro Park, Boca Raton, Miami ... so I get a little vershtimmeled. At least I got them in a Jewish neighborhood! With that pan taking up all the room in my head, I'm lucky I knew there were lesbians in the film.

And I've followed everyone's suggestions -- save for the trip to 13th Ave. -- and haven't found it yet. My Rabbi is taking a class to New York in the spring, maybe I can have him look for me.

I should stop thinking about bread pans and start thinking about how to use 4 pounds of cornmeal by pesach.

Can a person have chametz-y thoughts?

As they say where I'm from, Chag Sameach, Y'all!

[challah-baker]

Hey, isn't there a commandment about coveting thy neighbor's challah pans?

Edited March 31, 2004 by challah-baker (log)

[JFLinLA]

Aidan -- I finally gotta ask as I've been wondering about it since you first posted this thread. Aside from an obsession with culinary supplies, why exacting are you coveting this pan? At least for me, half the fun of making challah is getting to "potchky" with the dough. I love braiding it at any time of year and making special shapes for the holidays.

I should stop thinking about bread pans and start thinking about how to use 4 pounds of cornmeal by pesach.

Can you say polenta?

Edited March 31, 2004 by JFLinLA (log)

[Comfort Me]

Aidan -- I finally gotta ask as I've been wondering about it since you first posted this thread. Aside from an obsession with culinary supplies, why exacting are you coveting this pan? At least for me, half the fun of making challah is getting to "potchky" with the dough. I love braiding it at any time of year and making special shapes for the holidays.

I should stop thinking about bread pans and start thinking about how to use 4 pounds of cornmeal by pesach.

Can you say polenta?

I want the pans for two reasons:

I too love to braid my challah for shabbas. But I find pan-proofed challah to be sturdier and easier to slice for sandwhiches. I don't like proffing in loaf pans, because the bread looses its traditional shape. I hope to have the pretty braid and sturdier slices. Can't hurt to try, right?

Also, I make a huge amount of chocolate challah every year -- a delicious recipe I developed which has become a family, congregational, and community favorite. It is a moist dough, very rich, and I have never been satisfied because I think the shape is a bit off. I'm hoping these pans can correct the shape flaw, because otherwise the recipe kicks asterisk!

BTW -- am I the only person who spends all of Pesach thinking about chametz! Aren't I lucky my wife can't clean out my thoughts with a feather and candle!

JF -- you sound a bit like my wife. I've tried to convince her over the years that a simple obsession with kitchen equipment is reason enough! What better reason could there possibly be?

Later, Taters.

[bloviatrix]

Chocolate challah?? Tell me more.

[jackal10]

Does This Kaiser pan help?

[achevres]

Aidan, I think I found them--and in several sizes. The link is below. And please post the chocolate challah recipe. I can't get that thought out of my mind now!

http://www.happyhomepage.com/cgi-bin/happy...exact_match=yes

[Comfort Me]

Aidan, I think I found them--and in several sizes. The link is below. And please post the chocolate challah recipe. I can't get that thought out of my mind now!

http://www.happyhomepage.com/cgi-bin/happy...exact_match=yes

I'm doing a happy dance! All around my office! My co-workers think I'm verkachteh!

I have already placed an order for two pans -- and if they work out well, I'll buy six more.

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

I can hardly wait for Pesach to be over!

I will post the recipe for the chocolate challah very, very soon!

[Comfort Me]

I'm still doing my happy dance!

I posted the recipe for my Chocolate Chocolate Challah in recipeGullet.

Note that it doubles, triples, and quadruples, but that I use less yeast the more dough I make.

I can;t wait for the pans! Just my luck -- the'll come during Pesach!

BTW -- that is a great site! The pans come pre-dipped! Woo Hoo!

[Gifted Gourmet]

I can't wait for the pans!  Just my luck -- they'll come during Pesach!

Aidan,

I am so pleased for you that you have had the opportunity to experience this pleasure! It might very well carry you through the next week or so until you can begin to bake your challot anew!!

Thanking you in advance for the chocolate challah recipe ... does it go well with vanilla bean ice cream??

speaking of coming during Pesach at a most inopportune time, invariably, without fail, the Girl Scouts deliver our annual ration of cookies a day before the holiday begins ... sign from G-d or the Scouts??

[Comfort Me]

I can't wait for the pans!  Just my luck -- they'll come during Pesach!

Aidan,

I am so pleased for you that you have had the opportunity to experience this pleasure! It might very well carry you through the next week or so until you can begin to bake your challot anew!!

Thanking you in advance for the chocolate challah recipe ... does it go well with vanilla bean ice cream??

speaking of coming during Pesach at a most inopportune time, invariably, without fail, the Girl Scouts deliver our annual ration of cookies a day before the holiday begins ... sign from G-d or the Scouts??

As far as the Girl Scout Cookie thing goes, that happens here, too. Mann tracht. G-tt lacht! Luckilly, I have a co-worker whose daughter sells them, and they conveniently don't deliver them until after Pesach!

[bloviatrix]

Have you checked out the other stuff on that site?

Easy kosher

I'm liking the oven safe coins. Those would be great for keeping my pots in order.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Have you checked out the other stuff on that site?

Easy kosher

I'm liking the oven safe coins. Those would be great for keeping my pots in order.

Thank you for this, bloviatrix!! Very interesting ... beats my masking tape labelling which has decayed over the years ...

[achevres]

Thanks for the Chocolate Challah recipe! My favorite use for Challah is french toast and I it seems the chocolate version will make even more ambrosial French toast.

I dry out the slices first, then the next morning dip them in a mixture of melted ice cream, eggs, cinnamon and a dash of salt. Soooo goood. They also freeze great and I reheat them in the toaster.

Thanks again,

Anita

[Gifted Gourmet]

Thanks for the Chocolate Challah recipe! My favorite use for Challah is french toast and I it seems the chocolate version will make even more ambrosial French toast.

I dry out the slices first, then the next morning dip them in a mixture of melted ice cream, eggs, cinnamon and a dash of salt. Soooo goood. They also freeze great and I reheat them in the toaster.

Thanks again,

Anita

This sounds very much like a recipe I make with challah for brunches called "Creme Brulee French Toast" .. it has a buttery, syrupy bottom layer which makes a terrific sauce! But have yet to try it with vanilla ice cream as you have mentioned .... is this orgasmic or what!??

[bloviatrix]

I'm thinking that chocolate challah would make an excellent bread pudding.

Edited March 31, 2004 by bloviatrix (log)

[Comfort Me]

I'm thinking that chocolate challah would make an excellent bread pudding.

Ooh, it does! And "crouton" as a garnish for tapioca pudding, too!

And I'm still doing my happy dance!

I'll report back after Pesach on the pans -- you can be sure challah will be the first bread to be made in our house!

[bloviatrix]

This thread just reminded me that I need to toss the yeast.

[JFLinLA]

JF -- you sound a bit like my wife. I've tried to convince her over the years that a simple obsession with kitchen equipment is reason enough! What better reason could there possibly be?

Later, Taters.

No, no. You don't have to convince me. I too share the disease of culinary equipment obsession. Luckily, Mr. L doesn't question it. For birthdays, anniversaries, mother's day, whatever he usually just asks want new kitchen thing I want and obliges me.

The chocolate challah recipe looks delish and I'll definitely be checking it out after the holiday but don't think it will be the first chametz back in my oven. Our tradition is to end Pesach with pizza.

On to Shavuot . . .

[Comfort Me]

I received the pans from Happy in the mail. I won't be able to bake in them until after Pesach, but my first reaction was "too small" -- i bought the 9" -- next order will be for the 14". But I'm keeping these for gift size -- if there is demand for a gift size, who knows -- I might end up ordering more.

And I had an e-mail from Malka -- one of the women from the documentary. She wrote:

Hi,

I got them in a Metal shop In Brooklyn NY, In Boro park where i grew up. I know the metal shop is on 12th Aveneu between 52nd and 51st streets but i am not sure of the name... But you can go to a metal shop and maybe have them make it for you... They make them in Aluminum or metal... Metal is preferable... (Health wise)

Good luck.. Where In Chicogo do you live? are you orthodox? in the orhtodox community?

Thank you for seeing the film... and hope you have a wonderful Pesach.

All the best,

Malka

I reread my earlier posts -- and I hope I didn't seem overly flip. I have a great meassure of compassion for gay and lesbian jews who are trying to live lives of both love and faith. Theirs is a painful and heartbreaking journey.

My wife and I were lucky enough to hear the director speak and were so impressed with him and with the filw -- which we have both seen twice -- we are buying the DVD for our synagogue library.