For my next episode of Pittsburgh Plates, I want to explore the food within the Jewish Community of Pittsburgh and possibly interview a Jewish bakery owner. I feel like this is an excellent choice because Jewish baking is closely tied to culture and family traditions, and it’s enormous in Pittsburgh. Foods like challah and rugelach aren’t just things you eat; they are tied to a long line of memories and tradition. I am very curious to know how the baker grew up with these traditions and what led them to turn it into a bakery. It feels like a super good fit with the themes of my other episodes of food shaping culture in Pittsburgh.

Before the interview, I will outline a few key points I would like to discuss. I am particularly eager to hear the moment they realized baking could be a real career, and what challenges they faced when opening the bakery for the first time. I also would like to know how that specific neighborhood has changed, and who its customers have become over time, what it’s like to keep a cultural tradition alive in a constantly shifting city.

Here are some example questions I am planning to ask:

“What is the item you are most known for? How did you first learn to make it?”

“Would you share a story about a family recipe that really means something to you?”

“How did opening the bakery make you feel in the beginning, and how do you feel now?”

The only question I’m sort of hesitant to ask is if they feel pressure to represent the whole Jewish community. I might save that one for later and bring it up if the conversation flows that way.