Inside the Jewish Bakery: Rye & Other Breads

Mankind has cultivated rye for 10,000 years, and in much of Eastern Europe, coarse dark rye breads and gruels formed the bulk of the Jewish diet. In America, where wheat was cheap and abundant, rye breads became lighter in color, texture and flavor. Inside the Jewish Bakery: Rye & Other Breads provides a brief history of Jewish rye bread as well as recipes that trace its evolution from Europe to America.

About the Authors 

Stanley Ginsberg, a native of Brooklyn, grew up in a close-knit neighborhood where generations lived side by side. He learned to cook and bake from his grandmother, who lived just upstairs in the same apartment building, and has continued cooking and baking ever since. He and his wife, Sylvia, currently live in Southern California.

Norman Berg, a Bronx native, graduated from the baking program at New York City’s Food and Maritime Trades High School and spent the next twenty-five years as a professional baker and general manager at several bakeries that became Bronx institutions, including Weber’s, Enrico’s, Yonkers Pastry and Greystone Bakery. Norm and his wife, Janet, still live in the Bronx.