• 3/4 cup very warm water
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened unsalted butter
• 3 envelopes active dry yeast
• Poppy seeds
• 1-cup wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 cup very warm water
• 7 eggs
• 9 cups unbleached white flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Egg glaze

1. Pour 3/4 cups very warm water into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast over water and stir in 1-teaspoon honey. Let stand 10 minutes or until bubbly.
2. Combine 1 cup very warm water, salt, butter and honey in a small bowl; beat into yeast mixture with electric mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each.
3. Add 4 cups of the flour. Beat 2 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in wheat germ.
4. Add enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn dough out onto floured surface, kneed until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a large greased bowl, turn to bring greased side up. Cover, let rise in a warm place, away from draft until double in volume, about 1 hour.
6. Punch dough down. Knead a few times to press out air bubbles. Divide into 4 equal pieces. Cover; let rise 10 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Divide each part into 3 more equal parts. Roll each part with floured hands into a rope 13 inches long. Braid the 3 rolls together pinching ends to seal. Place in a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan or greased cookie sheet. Repeat with the 3 remaining parts to make 4 braids.
8. Brush tops of loaves with melted butter. Let rise in a warm place until double in volume, about 30 minutes. Brush egg glaze (see below) over loaves. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
9. Bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 30 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped with fingers. Cool on wire racks.

Egg Glaze: Beat 1 egg with 1 Tablespoon of water in a small cup until foamy.