Speaking of eating, classes began yesterday at the Vilnius Yiddish Institute’s summer program, my reason for coming here. Inexplicably, I am in the advanced class, which means that after two days my head is about to explode. The teachers are scholarly, erudite and eloquent. Following along is like holding on to a roller coaster with one hand. And the reading list … oy. 

However, I’ve already learned something useful. If you’re not Jewish, you’ll likely call the thing pictured below biscotti. If you’re Jewish and not from Philadelphia, you’ll call it a mandelbrot or mandelbroyt. Philadelphians, however, will call it a kamish bread. And now I know why.

The term comes from ‘komisye’, which is a Yiddishized version of “commission.” Why? Because when railroad travel began in Russia and Ukraine in the 1880s, some local entrepreneurs began selling this twice-baked sweet bread to passengers via salespeople who were –wait for it – on commission.  

Why do they call it kamish bread in Philly but mandelbroyt in New York, Chicago and everywhere else my family is from? Don’t ask me. Do I look like a scholar? 

On the subject of desserts, however, here was mine at lunch: Strawberry compote with poppy-seed ice cream. Not bad.