Bakeries, Jewish Style

[rlibkind]

On my infrequent trips back to North Jersey I'd almost always stop for hot dogs at Syd's and pick up baked goods at its Millburn Mall neighbor, Sonny Amster's. That's been impossible for about two years now, since they lost their leases (and Amster's death this past summer).

The Syd's hot dogs, I can buy for myself from Best on Avon Avenue and cook at home. But I'm no baker. So it was with delight, on a purposefully detoured ride back to Philly from Morris County, that I remembered there was a Jewish bakery on St. George Avenue in Linden, not far from the Elizabeth line and Warinanco Park.

It's Village Bakery, a.k.a. Beinstein Baking. 1742 East St. George Ave., Linden, 908 486-9600 or 486-1636. It's been around, in one form or another, since 1935. Its business card states "Kosher Parve and Dairy". They do a wholesale business as well as the retail operation.

My eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach: I bought way too much:

Seven-layer cake. It wasn't quite ready when I asked if they had it, but I waited maybe five or six minutes, since they cakes had been baked but not yet constructed. It was worth the wait for this simplified version of the Dobosh torte. Yellow cake with a faint lemony taste, and rich chocolate ganache filling and frosting.

Salt sticks. These caraway and salt encrusted rolls benefitted tremendously from a quick reheat in the toaster oven. They also had crescents made from the same dough, both plain and poppy.

Hamentaschen. These were the best hamentaschen I've ever had. I bought one each of the poppy and lekvar and while the fillings were perfect, what really elevated this pastry was the dough. It was clearly a classic hamentaschen dough, but was much less dense then every other one I've tried.

Mohn strudel. Also known as poppyseed strudel. I haven't tasted it yet (bringing it over to a cousin's this afternoon), but it looks right.

Sugar buns. I've seen these square, sugar-topped, golden raisin inflected buns baked in a pan go by various names. Whatever. Yeasty, sweet, soft and delicious. My wife, who is of Scandinavian heritage, insists they're better with butter. Not a bad idea.

Lots of other items to try next trip, including the challahs, various rye and pumpernickels (I forgot to to ask if they have "corn" bread, which is really a type of rye), rugelachs, bialys (which looked especially goods), all types of rolls (the onion-poppy looked good), cookies and cakes.

[CaliPoutine]

Thanks for the report.

I always buy too much when I go home to S. Florida, because Jewish bakeries where I live are non-existent. The freezer is my friend : )

[Allura]

Oh, thanks for letting me know. My dad loves seven-layer cake, and that's not too far from me.

On the topic of seven-layer cake, you mention the cake had a light lemon flavor. We had one once that had a significant orange flavor. I found it grew on me, but no one else liked it. Is that typical/unusual?

[rlibkind]

On the topic of seven-layer cake, you mention the cake had a light lemon flavor. We had one once that had a significant orange flavor. I found it grew on me, but no one else liked it. Is that typical/unusual?

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I don't recall noticing the citrus flavor when I was a kid enjoying this cake from a local Elizabeth bakery (long since departed), since the main attraction was the chocolate filling and frosting. But as an adult, I now notice the lemon. I don't recall orange, but why not, so long as it's not overpowering?

[rooftop1000]

Bob I think your wife will apreciate this one...

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=60498&st=0

tracey