12. Blessing over bread croutons for soup and salad

Bread croutons, soup almonds [i.e. Shikidei Marak]:[1]

  1. Background:

There are several factors affect whether the blessing over bread croutons is Mezonos or Hamotzi, including:

  • The ingredients: If the dough is very spicy, or sweet, or was made with majority fruit juice then it is defined as Pas Hab Bekisnin, which is always Mezonos unless you set a meal over it.
  • The manufacturing-Baked versus cooked: While baked dough has the potential of becoming the blessing of Hamotzi, depending on his ingredients as stated above, cooked dough always receives the blessing of Mezonos. Now, deep-fried is the same as cooked, and hence if the croutons were manufactured through baking then they can potentially be Hamotzi, while if they were manufactured through oil and deep frying, then they are always Mezonos.
  • The intent of the initial dough and baking: Even if the dough is not Pas Haba Bekisnin, and is baked, it still can potentially remain the blessing of Mezonos. This depends on what the purpose of this dough and baking was. If it was kneaded and baked for the purpose of eating it as regular bread, and only after it’s baking into bread was it broken down to small pieces for the sake of croutons then it retains the blessing of Hamotzi, just as it was in its bread state. If, however, it was initially manufactured for the sake of soup or salad croutons, and that was the intent of the kneading and baking, then it is no different than pretzels, which receive the blessing of Mezonos.
  • Entering it into soup: The law is that only baked dough receives the blessing of Hamotzi/Birchas Hamazon as opposed to cooked dough. Now, what is law regarding if a baked product was then cooked? So, if the baked product that is being cooked is a Kezayis in size then it retains the blessing of Hamotzi/Birchas Hamazon. If, however, the baked item being cooked is less than a Kezayis in size then it is a dispute as to what blessing it should receive and we rule that Safek Brachos Lihakel and hence one is to say Mezonos and Al Hamichyah on such bread. However, a Baal Nefesh should be Machmir to eat it within a meal if they contain the appearance of bread and he will be eating enough to make him full. Accordingly, if the Hamotzi croutons are placed into a Keli Rishon, they are defined as cooked and subject to the above debate and conclusion of Mezonos blessing. However, a Keli Sheiyni is not defined as cooked, and hence only if the croutons are left inside the liquid long enough for them to disintegrate are they defined as Mezonos, otherwise they remain Hamotzi.
  1. The law:

All store bought bread croutons are Mezonos.[2] The only case that bread croutons eaten plain or in salad would be Hamotzi is if they were made at home through toasting slices of bread and turning them into croutons, or if one eats an amount of Kevius Seuda. This itself would be dependent on whether one eats them plain or within soup.

Eating plain: The blessing that is to be recited upon eating plain bread croutons depends on the method in which they were made. If the original pieces of dough were deep fried, or oil steamed, than their blessing is Mezonos. If they were baked or toasted, then if they were originally pieces of bread that were than broken to less than Kezayis size pieces as is common in homemade croutons which is made from leftover bread, then their blessing is Hamotzi and Birchas Hamazon. However, if to begin with one took small pieces of dough and baked or toasted them for the sake of making croutons, then their status is similar to that of pretzels which receive the blessing of Mezonos and Al Hamichya, unless one is Koveia Seuda in which case it becomes Hamotzi and Birchas Hamazon.[3]

Eating after placing in soup: If the croutons are being eaten within a soup and not plain, then the status of their blessing depends on the factors above, as well as whether the soup into which they entered is defined as a Keli Rishon or Keli Sheiyni. If their blessing is Mezonos when eaten plain being that they were prepared through deep frying, then their blessing remains Mezonos also when eaten in the soup, irrelevant as to whether the soup is defined as a Keli Rishon or Keli Sheiyni. If their blessing is Mezonos due to be made specifically for the sake of eating as croutons, then if the soup is defined as a Keli Rishon, then the blessing would remain Mezonos and Al Hamichya even if one ate enough for it to be considered Kevius Seuda. If they are homemade croutons that were made from bread, and hence are Hamotzi when eaten plain, then if they were placed into a Keli Rishon soup [i.e. pot that is or was on fire] then their blessing becomes degraded to Mezonos and Al Hamichyah due to dispute and doubt, as will be explained in the next Halacha. If they were placed into soup of a Keli Sheiyni [i.e. a bowl of soup that had soup poured into it from a pot that was on the fire] then is blessing is Hamotzi [and Birchas Hamazon if one eats a Kezayis] unless it disintegrates prior to eating it.[4]

Soup almonds [i.e. Shikidei Marak]: The small yellow soup almonds sold by the Osam company under the supervision of Eida Hachareidis, are all cooked through oil steaming, and hence their before and after blessing is Mezonos and Al Hamichyah even if one establishes a meal over it.

 

Summary:

All store bought bread croutons are Mezonos. If homemade Hamotzi croutons are placed into soup, then if entered into a Keli Rishon [i.e. the actual pot of soup], then its blessing is Mezonos due to doubt. If, however, the croutons are placed into a Keli Sheiyni [i.e. a typical bowl of soup] then they remain Hamotzi unless it disintegrates.

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[1] See regarding bread croutons: Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:11 and Madrich of Eida that the ones they make are always Mezonos unless do Kevius Seuda, and the question is only by home made; See regarding if Hamotzi croutons are placed into soup: Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:15 See regarding cooked bread: Admur Seder 2:12-13; SHU”A 168:18-21; Ketzos Hashulchan 48:11-12; M”B 168:55; Shevet Halevi 7:23; Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:15; See regarding status of Keli Sheiyni: Admur Seder 2:14; 168:18; Ketzos Hashulchan 48:13

[2] The reason: 1) either due to being initially being manufactured for this purpose to eat as croutons, which is the case by all store bought croutons, or 2) due to it being deep fried versus baked, or 3) due to its ingredients defining it as Pas Haba Bekisnin].

[3] Piskeiy Teshuvos; Madrich of Eida Hachareidis

[4] Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:15

  1. Question: [Sunday, 19th Marcheshvan, 5783]

Which blessing should be recited over bread croutons Mezonos or Hamotzi? Is there any difference whether I will be eating it in a salad or soup?

 

Answer:

All store bought bread croutons are Mezonos due to one of several reasons [1) either due to being initially being manufactured for this purpose to eat as croutons, which is the case by all store bought croutons, or 2) due to it being deep fried versus baked, or 3) due to its ingredients defining it as Pas Haba Bekisnin]. The only case that bread croutons eaten plain or in salad would be Hamotzi is if they were made at home through toasting slices of bread and turning them into croutons.

Hamotzi croutons eaten in soup: If homemade Hamotzi croutons are placed into soup, then if entered into a Keli Rishon [i.e. the actual pot of soup], then its blessing is Mezonos due to doubt. If, however, the croutons are placed into a Keli Sheiyni [i.e. a typical bowl of soup] then they remain Hamotzi unless it disintegrates.

Explanation: There are several factors affect whether the blessing over bread croutons is Mezonos or Hamotzi, including:

  • The ingredients: If the dough is very spicy, or sweet, or was made with majority fruit juice then it is defined as Pas Hab Bekisnin, which is always Mezonos unless you set a meal over it.
  • The manufacturing-Baked versus cooked: While baked dough has the potential of becoming the blessing of Hamotzi, depending on his ingredients as stated above, cooked dough always receives the blessing of Mezonos. Now, deep-fried is the same as cooked, and hence if the croutons were manufactured through baking then they can potentially be Hamotzi, while if they were manufactured through oil and deep frying, then they are always Mezonos.
  • The intent of the initial dough and baking: Even if the dough is not Pas Haba Bekisnin, and is baked, it still can potentially remain the blessing of Mezonos. This depends on what the purpose of this dough and baking was. If it was kneaded and baked for the purpose of eating it as regular bread, and only after it’s baking into bread was it broken down to small pieces for the sake of croutons then it retains the blessing of Hamotzi, just as it was in its bread state. If, however, it was initially manufactured for the sake of soup or salad croutons, and that was the intent of the kneading and baking, then it is no different than pretzels, which receive the blessing of Mezonos.
  • Entering it into soup: The law is that only baked dough receives the blessing of Hamotzi/Birchas Hamazon as opposed to cooked dough. Now, what is law regarding if a baked product was then cooked? So, if the baked product that is being cooked is a Kezayis in size then it retains the blessing of Hamotzi/Birchas Hamazon. If, however, the baked item being cooked is less than a Kezayis in size then it is a dispute as to what blessing it should receive and we rule that Safek Brachos Lihakel and hence one is to say Mezonos and Al Hamichyah on such bread. However, a Baal Nefesh should be Machmir to eat it within a meal if they contain the appearance of bread and he will be eating enough to make him full. Accordingly, if the Hamotzi croutons are placed into a Keli Rishon, they are defined as cooked and subject to the above debate and conclusion of Mezonos blessing. However, a Keli Sheiyni is not defined as cooked, and hence only if the croutons are left inside the liquid long enough for them to disintegrate are they defined as Mezonos, otherwise they remain Hamotzi.

Sources: See regarding bread croutons: Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:11 and Madrich of Eida that the ones they make are always Mezonos unless do Kevius Seuda, and the question is only by home made; See regarding if Hamotzi croutons are placed into soup: Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:15 See regarding cooked bread: Admur Seder 2:12-13; SHU”A 168:18-21; Ketzos Hashulchan 48:11-12; M”B 168:55; Shevet Halevi 7:23; Piskeiy Teshuvos 168:15; See regarding status of Keli Sheiyni: Admur Seder 2:14; 168:18; Ketzos Hashulchan 48:13

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