Hunting for brioche/challah

[FallsChurch2]

Where in Northern Virginia (Fairfax or Arlington counties) I can get a loaf of brioche, aka challah? It makes the best french toast on the planet. But it's like Hailey's Comet: you see in supermarket shelves only once every 75 tears. I need me a steady source of the stuff.

[tannline]

Our Whole Foods (in Arlington) always has challah (very good) and usually has brioche (okay).

[Hal Laurent]

Challah is not the same thing as brioche. Challah is easy to make yourself if you're so inclined. With all the egg in the dough it's very easy to handle.

[Terrie H.]

Great Harvest does a delicious challah, and there are a few locations in NoVa.

[shake N baik]

If you can get a fresh loaf from Wegmans I think it's worth the drive over. My wife and I ate most of the loaf on our way back home. The rest was used as toast points for some seared foie.

[Steve]

Call Leonora Bakery in Arlington. I have seen it there, it is excellent, but it is a small place with ever-changing inventory constantly experimenting with what it offers. If you ask for it in advance, I am pretty sure they will make it for you.

[nickdanger]

Challah (egg bread) as I know it is readily available at Wegmans, Trader Joes, Giant, Shoppers.......

[FallsChurch2]

Thanks; I'll check out TJ's. (in my experience, the others are hit-or-miss on challah.)

[Indy 67]

The McLean Giant always stocks challah. Ditto for Balducci's.

While I'm shocked to read that you don't see challah routiney at your local Giant, my best suggestion is to let the challah come to you rather than your seeking out the challah. Any time you want a loaf, phone your local Giant and ask the bakery to put one aside for you.

[FallsChurch2]

Thanks, Indy. The Lenora Bakery that Steve suggested is closer to me and I already talked to them: they're open and they have brioche loaves. So that's where I'm going after work. Gracias to all of you nice people. That's why I love Chowhound.

[Sid Post]

Is making it yourself an option?

[FallsChurch2]

Hi, Sid: I looked up brioche recipes, read several, and shook my head every time. I concluded that this will be one of those foods I will allow the experts to make and I will happily give them money for it. (All that kneading makes me dizzy.)

[Doh]

Have you considered a no-knead recipe-- like this one from artisan bread in 5 minutes a day?

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/200...

(not to nitpick, but brioche and challah aren't really the same thing. I think brioche is even richer than challah-- supposedly that's what Marie Antoinette was suggesting the peasants eat if they had no bread).

[FallsChurch2]

Doh: Wow. What a difference from all the other brioche recipes I saw. (Those should all be called The 39 Steps.) But yours is incredibly simple. Thanks for sending. I'll save it for a future weekend, when I have more time. Today I'll settle for buying a ready-made loaf.

[Doh]

I really like those "artisan in 5 mins" recipes-- I just have to take a break from them occasionally so I don't go crazy eating a loaf a bread every few days. :)

Here's more info on their basic recipe that might be helpful too

http://www.artisanbreadinfive.com/201...