Hi,
What
berachah do I recite before eating a salad that contains croutons?
Regarding
croutons baked from the start for use in a salad, one could contend that the
appropriate berachah would be mezonos, because croutons do not function
in the normal role of bread in a meal. Such croutons would be similar to the
dry cracker which early halachic authorities term pas haba'ah b'kisnin.
In that case, one would recite a mezonos for the croutons, separate from
the berachah for the salad.
In reality,
though, croutons are recycled from old bread; this was true historically, and
sources in commercial food preparation say that it remains so in restaurants today.
Therefore, toasted croutons retain their original bread berachah of hamotzi.
[Note, though, that one who will eat less than an egg-sized volume of bread
(croutons or otherwise) should not recite al netilas yadayim when
washing.]
There is
some debate regarding the status of deep fried croutons; one should endeavour
to eat these croutons as part of a bread-based meal.
(Aruch ksn;
Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 158:2, 168:7, 10; Mishneh Berurah 168:56; Aruch
haShulchan Orach Chaim 168:23)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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