Lisa Mincis has been baking challahs professionally for 20 years. At the age of 18 she embarked upon this culinary endeavor at the Chabad of Nesconset in Long Island, where she grew up. (Her rabbi was Rabbi Chaim Grossbaum, uncle of Moishie and Zeesy Grossbaum, well known in our community for their work with Friendship Circle.) Even prior to her challah career, Mincis was creating made-to-order chocolate delicacies.
Mincis brought these culinary skills with her when she moved to Teaneck 29 years ago. She and husband Jonathan, a traffic court attorney, are parents of five children ranging in age from 15 to 26. They lead busy lives, even shuttling children to school in Monsey. Mincis also serves as a balanit at the Teaneck Friday night and Yomim Tovim mikvah, and in the main mikvah during the week as needed. She also works at the Paramus Mikvah.
Mincis markets her challahs under the name Liba’s Challahs, as Liba is her Hebrew name. All of her products are produced under the supervision of the RCBC. Her commissary is based at Lubavitch on the Palisades in Tenafly, from which she delivers her orders. Mincis described her challahs as “quality products that are allergen friendly, vegan, containing no eggs or seeds. I only use olive oil and am always looking to include the latest high-quality ingredients.”
Liba’s Challahs come in white, whole wheat, spelt and gluten-free. Her flavored challahs include cinnamon, raisin, chocolate chip and streusel for those with a sweet tooth; and onions, garlic and salt for the more traditional. Special orders through Liba’s Challahs have included babkas, apple pie, pumpkin muffins and chocolate chip cookies.
Liba’a Challahs are available for purchase at Glatt Express and Grand & Essex. She also sells to organizations and schools to which she often supplies the dough for baking. Private customers are encouraged to place their orders by Wednesday for timely delivery. Liba’s Challahs are priced reasonably compared to others sold locally.
As for her chocolate delights, marketed under the name World of Chocolate and More, Mincis has a secret recipe (which she cares not to disclose) that makes her made-to-order chocolates taste as close to dairy as pareve chocolates can be. She creates special orders for school celebrations such as siddur and chumash plays, as well as customized bar/bat mitzvah and wedding/sheva brachot. Mincis has sold her chocolate creations at many local holiday boutiques to rave reviews. Recently, she filled orders for Thanksgiving chocolates and football designs. She is looking forward to creating specialized Chanukah treats. Her chocolates are free of all major allergens and nuts. The chocolates are under RCBC supervision as well.
Mincis said that the current pandemic has impacted her business as schools have cut back on their celebrations, and family simchas are also smaller and abridged. But she is hopeful that her business will survive and flourish once we are back to normal. After all, we need challah every Shabbat, and who can resist the lure of chocolate?
To order Liba’s Challahs and/or World of Chocolate, call 201-310-0458 or email [email protected]. Visit her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thebestchallahs/ and Instagram @Libaschallahs.
By Pearl Markovitz
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