The dough of challah is often shaped into forms having symbolical meanings; thus on Rosh Hashanah rings and coins are imitated, indicating “May the new year be as round and complete as these”;For Hosha’na Rabbah, bread is baked in the form of a key, meaning “May the door of heaven open to admit our prayers.” The Hamantashen, a triangular cookie or turnover filled with fruit preserves or honey and black poppy-seed, is eaten on the Feast of Purim. It is said to be shaped like the hat of Haman the tyrant.
The mohn kihel, a circular or rectangular wafer having in it a quantity of poppy, forms a part of Shabbat breakfast. Pirushkes, or turnovers, are little cakes fried in honey, or sometimes merely dipped in molasses, after they are baked. The strudel, or single-layered jelly or fruit cake, takes the place of the pie for dessert. Teigachz, or pudding, of which the kugel is one variety, is usually made from rice, noodles, “farfel” (dough crumbs), and even mashed potatoes. Gehakte herring (chopped herring), which is usually served as the first dish at Shabbat dinner, is made by skinning a few herrings and chopping them together with hard-boiled eggs, onions, apples, sugar, pepper, and a little vinegar.
There are a number of sour soups, called borscht, the most popular of which is the kraut or cabbage borscht, typically made by cooking together cabbage, meat, bones, onions, raisins, sour salt (citric acid), sugar and sometimes tomatoes. Before serving, the yolks of eggs might be mixed in. This last process is called farweissen (to make white). Borsht is also often made from beetroots and rossel (the juice derived from fermented beets).
In Eastern Europe, the Jews baked black (“proster,” or “ordinary”) bread, white bread, and challah. Of great interest are the various forms into which these breads are made; for while the black bread is usually circular in form, the shapes in which hallah is baked vary as the different holidays pass by. The most common form of the hallahs is the twist (“koilitch” or “kidke”). The koilitch is oval in form, and about one and a half feet in length. On special occasions, such as weddings, the koilitch is increased to a length of about two and a half feet.
As well known as challah (or perhaps even more so) is the bagel, which originated from Eastern Europe pastry (Russian “bublik”) and is ubiquitous in many countries with substantial Jewish populations.
