The Philadelphia Jewish Voice
 

PJV#8
FEBRUARY 2006

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The Kosher Table
• R&R Produce and Fish
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• M. L. Kosher Meats
• Best Cake Bakery

 
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The Kosher Table

Best Cake Bakery
Lisa Tuttle
Lisa Kelvin Tuttle
7954 Haverford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119, 215-878-1127
Supervision: Orthodox Vaad of Philadelphia

Ziza Alimpijevich's Chinese Cookies are so buttery and chocolaty that you'd never know these treats, along with everything else at Bestcake Bakery, are pareve --- even Ziza's rich and creamy cheesecakes! Bestcake, formerly Greeberg?s, has been serving the Main Line for over 30 years. Ziza took the bakery over in 2004 from Jan Moskow, who presided over it for five years. Bestcake makes 20 varieties of cookies, 8 kinds of challah (plain, raisin, onion, whole wheat, whole wheat raisin, seven grain, seven grain with onion, and olive challah). Try their babkas, cakes, and pies in numerous flavors, biscotti and kamish bread, and of course pumpernickel, rye, and challah rolls. Ziza's specialty is wedding cakes and decorated cakes made to order for all occasions. She also makes low-sugar and sugar-free cookies, hamantaschen, muffins, strudel, and turnovers. Ziza's cheesecakes, made with Tofutti cream cheese, come either plain or with a variety of toppings (strawberry, pineapple, chocolate, and coconut are the kinds I've tried and they're all great). My favorite thing about Bestcake is that they sell their delicious challahs unbaked and frozen as well as fresh. I simply let them defrost on a sheet of baking parchment on my baking sheet, brush them with beaten egg, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and I get fresh "home made" challah and the compliments to boot! 

If you tell Ziza or her staff you read about Bestcake in The Kosher Table, she'll let you take 10% off your order.

Orange Maple Challah Kugel
Dairy or Pareve

A cross between a bread pudding and a kugel, this fragrant dish makes a wonderful centerpiece for breakfast or brunch, as well as an accompaniment to Shabbat dinner. Canned or fresh sliced peaches or apricots can be substituted for the mandarin oranges, and for an even more decadent treat, use day-old croissants in lieu of the challah. 

  • 1 large plain or raisin challah with crusts removed
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
  • 6 large eggs
  • ½ cup milk, half and half, or plain or vanilla soymilk
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 11-ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained
  • 2 tablespoon sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  1. Cut the challah into 11/2- to 2-inch cubes and set aside.
  2. Cream the butter or margarine and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, till thoroughly combined, then add the milk, half and half, or soymilk, the maple syrup, vanilla and orange extracts, and the cinnamon. 
  3. Gently fold in the challah cubes and mandarin oranges.
  4. Grease an attractive casserole dish that can go from oven to table, and sprinkle lightly with half of the cinnamon sugar. Pour the challah mixture into the dish sprinkle the top with the rest of the cinnamon sugar.
  5. Bake uncovered for about 35-40 minutes at 425 degrees till puffed and golden.