Melissa Hill is a senior at Brown University. She loves dessert, but while chocolate is her ally, flour unfortunately is not. To Melissa, Omi’s Flourless Chocolate Cake is not just a delicious gluten free option, but also a representation of her own Judaism.
Melissa’s grandma, Omi, created this recipe out of necessity. Melissa’s father was a very picky eater, refusing to eat much else besides Rice Krispies. So, Omi developed this recipe, which contains protein due to all of the eggs, to help balance her son’s diet. Since then, Omi and Melissa’s father have continued to make the cake at every birthday and holiday, including Passover and Yom Kippur. |
This cake became a staple in the diet of the family, as well as a tradition they still carry on. When asked about her favorite Jewish food, Melissa responded: “I don’t have a typical favorite Jewish food necessarily, but if I’m thinking about my Judaism and the thinking that are connected to it, this [cake] is by far my favorite.”
The most import component of Judaism to Melissa is the community. This connection is frequently facilitated by food, as she believes, “Families are brought together around a Jewish table filled with delicious food.” In pondering her connection to Jewish food, Melissa thinks of Rosh Hashanah, which her family tries to celebrate every year. They serve finger foods at their open house, inviting their family and friends to come celebrate. This smorgasbord of finger foods may not be seen as Jewish by the masses, but in the dining room of Melissa’s house, this food becomes Jewish. It is what connects her to community, which is ultimately what keeps her connected to her Judaism.