Growing up in the 40's and 50's we had
wonderful bakers and bakery shops here in Newark. Some of the larger
ones were Bond Bread; Dugan Brother's Products; Fisher's "Butter
Cup" bread; Pechter's bread and rolls; Silvercup Bread; Taystee
bread and cup cakes; Tip Top; and Wagner Pies.
Almost every neighborhood had their local bakeries and pastry
shops. In my neighborhood on 12th Street close to Central Ave we
had the White Castle Bakery which filled the neighborhood with wonderful
smells. Sometimes when we were kids, if we were lucky, the bakers
would give us a few buns or whatever kinds of pastry they were baking
at that moment. What a treat.
Down on the corner of 10th Street and South Orange Ave we had
an old German bakery. Every Sunday on my way home from church I
stopped in and brought home six "crumb" buns; six cheese
buns; and a coffee ring. I remember at Thanksgiving and Christmas
they used to roast the turkey for many families in the neighborhood.
My grandfather - my father's father - was a baker but had lost
his home and bakery shop during the depression, and had to pull
all of his kids out of school in order to support the family. I
always remember when I was growing up in the 40's and early 50's
that during the Christmas holiday season he would make "strudel"
and other types of German cakes and pastry's. I can still smell
and taste them to this day.
|
