Latest news with #delicatessen
The Guardian
10-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
First jobs, first love and a serve of minimum chips
My first part-time job was in a small continental delicatessen at the Ringwood Market. I worked Friday nights and Saturday mornings and was paid $2.50 an hour. I was 14 and yearned for something more glamorous than slicing salami and cutting cheese – although I do remember my workmate and I regularly enjoying sharing the inch-thick end piece of chicken loaf that was too small to slice. I wore a blue shapeless uniform and was supposed to wear a hairnet but never did. There was an apron of sorts that we'd wipe our hands down after each customer had left, smearing meat stains and olive brine in patterns on the thick cotton. The two men who owned the stall were generous with their teenage staff, never minding if we scraped in a few minutes late for a shift or rearranged our hours because of some upcoming party. And at Christmas they'd always tuck an extra $20 note into our pay as a bonus. The day I forgot to put the guard down on the slicer and watched in shock as the front half of my finger dropped into the 100gram order of ham off the bone, they cleaned me up, bandaged my hand and sent me straight to the doctor for stitches. I must have been more of a liability than an asset. From there I graduated to a news agency in a major train station hub. Again, I had a blue uniform dress but this one had a Pilot Pen patch sewn on to the lapel. I worked with two other teenagers on Friday nights and we became fast friends, gossiping and chatting in between serving customers. We lived for the weekly piles of unsold magazines because we could rip off the covers to send back for a refund and take the rest home to read. This was how I kept up with all the latest from Hollywood, learned what hairstyles were in and studied pages of fashion that I could never afford to buy. My third part-time job as a teenager was in a bakery near my parent's house I rode my bike to on weekends. The shop was always warm by the time I arrived because the baker started early. At the end of each day, the unsold cakes and bread would be divvied up among the staff, and my favourite was the boston bun with the fake white icing. My boss drove a panel van and told vaguely inappropriate jokes, but he was as kind in his own way as the owners of the deli, spending hours educating me about the lyrical genius of AC/DC's Angus Young. I was always working weekends as a teenager. Trying to save for something or other. A new coat. A pair of skinny jeans. A boom box that still plays. When I wasn't out with my school friends, I was sweeping floors, scrubbing meat slicers, and learning how to count change. Serving customers was at first terrifying, but I slowly grew to enjoy it. My new children's book, Sonny & Tess, is a tribute to the part-time jobs of my teenage life and to the endless crushes that populated my diary. It's partly set in a suburban fish and chip shop where Tess and the shop owner's nephew Sonny work. Together they cry as they slice onions, argue over the correct salting of chips and learn to navigate all those awkward and exciting feelings of your first crush. Unfortunately, my teenage working years were not so romantically blessed. Instead of meeting cute boys, I had to be content with slicing off my finger, becoming an ardent AC/DC fan and learning which magazine featured the best star sign prediction for a Virgo. I did serve Guy Pearce fresh from his role in Neighbours once, prompting my friend and I to giggle so much that it took both of us to bag the loaf of bread. The beauty of writing Sonny & Tess is that I could finally invent the sort of gentle romance I longed for when I was 14 – complete with chicken salt, potato cakes and a generous serve of minimum chips. Nova Weetman is an award-winning children's author. Her latest children's book, Sonny & Tess, is published by UQP
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jewish deli offers traditional recipes and a taste of 'home' with new Westchester location
At a time when kosher delicatessens are closing more than opening, Epsteins, which has been in Hartsdale since 1969, has a second location. Their Somers spot, which opened June 9, has the same nostalgic vibe and Old School menu as Hartsdale (think pastrami on rye, knishes, matzoh ball soup and latkes), but is smaller, with about 40 seats as opposed to 125. Dale Stasi, who's owned the Hartsdale Epsteins since 2008, said she's long familiar with the area as her parents, who previously ran the business with her and her husband, Chris, used to live nearby in Heritage Hills. "This was an ideal location for us," said Stasi. "The community has been near and dear to our family so when we saw the opportunity to open here, we grabbed it." (The space had been a Mexican restaurant.) Dig in: Westchester restaurant scene heats up with 19 new spots this summer. See the list The history of Epsteins goes back to the Bronx when Seymour Epstein opened his first deli on Jerome Avenue in 1952. At one point he and his family owned five restaurants, including on Long Island and in Westchester. Along the way he sold them, including — in 2008 — to the Stasis who ran them with Dale's parents Robert DeGroat and Marion Rainone. (The Yonkers location, which closed last May, had, since 2008, not been affiliated with the Hartsdale location.) "In New York alone there used to be 500 kosher restaurants," said DeGroat. "Now there are less than 500 in the country." Still, Stasi believes it's a viable business. "The amount of people that have told us how happy they are we opened and how the food feels like their childhood has been overwhelming." "There's a strong sense of heritage in this cuisine and it's important that we keep it alive." That means traditional recipes that date back to the Bronx like stuffed cabbage, noodle kugel, potato latkes, kishke (also known as stuffed derma), kreplach, Hungarian goulash and brisket. More: Summer eats: Our food reporter's picks include Lower Hudson Valley's best lobster and more And, of course, pastrami, corned beef and brisket, the three of which are top sellers. Instructions on the menu advise diners to tell their server if they want their meat carved traditional (naturally fatty, juicy and full of flavor), trimmed (meaning some fat is removed) or first cut, which is super lean. For a taste of all three, they also offer a knish made with a mixture of each. Stasi is also particularly proud of their hot dogs which are another top seller. In a nod to the family that created it all, you'll also find Grandma's Trio (derma, cabbage and a meatball) which references Seymour's mother. Stasi said since Seymour (since deceased) started the company with his wife Gloria (also deceased) and brothers, there have only been three owners: Seymour, his nephew and the Stasis. And now new generations have found — and enjoyed — their food, with a lot of customers coming from Hartsdale or remembering them from when their bar or bat mitzvah was catered by Epsteins. "There's a comfort in going back to your roots," said Stasi. "These are traditional recipes that have been passed down for generations and I think people appreciate that. "It's like a little taste of home." Address: 325 Route 100 (in Somers Centre), Somers, 914-556-6393, Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily (subject to change). Good to Know: Outdoor dining to come. Have you been to Hartsdale? Epsteins' original location is at 387 Central Ave., (Dalewood Shopping Center), 914-428-5320. Want more info on dining in the lower Hudson Valley? My weekly newsletter is free — and often includes behind-the-scenes deets I don't always share in my stories. Sign up at Also, if you have news on restaurant openings or closings — or just want to say hi —email JRMuchnick@ Jeanne Muchnick covers food and dining. Click here for her most recent articles and follow her latest dining adventures on Instagram @jeannemuchnick or via the lohudfood newsletter. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Epsteins in Somers NY: Jewish deli opens second Westchester location
CBS News
10-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Bagel shop inside Dearborn Ford dealership gains cult following
Inside the Village Ford Parts and Service Center in Dearborn, Michigan, you can get more than just new tires and an oil change. Through the doors and to your left is Brazen Bagels. "New York-style delicatessen. All traditional. All correct," said Jacob Anson, co-owner of Brazen Bagels. Brazen Bagels has been operating in this space for two years. "We've done very well, and Dearborn just wrapped their arms around us like they've embraced us entirely," Anson said. Anson says his wife, Megan, is the inspiration behind the business. "My wife, she likes bagels. I was trying to get her a good one," Anson said. After developing the perfect recipe, the couple started selling bagels from home and at a local pop-up. "Everything I didn't sell, I took to businesses all around me. Just try my bagels," Anson said. One of those businesses was Village Ford. "They got a great product, and we needed to get somebody in here for our dealership. And it was just a perfect opportunity," said Jay Sturtz, general sales manager of Village Ford. Word has spread, and now there's a devoted following of regular customers. "I just stumbled in here, and I saw this sign outside and came in and tried it. The best bagels I ever had," said Ahmad Hammoud, owner of Big Red's Barbeque Pit. "Him and his wife are great people, so I will support them forever." In 2024, the shop hosted a fundraiser for humanitarian aid in Lebanon. "They support our community, and we have to make sure that as residents of Dearborn, residents of Metro Detroit, we support any business that is supporting the community," said Amer Zhar, a regular customer. Anson arrives at work at 4 a.m. and says Brazen Bagels focuses on quality. "I start rolling. I'm rolling all day until close. I'm baking and rolling about 120 dozen a week. I just keep it moving, and my team is amazing," Anson said. "Everything's very intentional and simple, no frills, no gimmicks, brown paper bag, like the sandwich is the star. The ingredients are organic, with halal options on the menu. "We're a husband and wife company based on quality, nothing else, and everything's organically grown. You probably heard about us. You probably didn't, you probably didn't see, like, a social media campaign or a big sign or anything, but just believe the hype," Anson said. If you're at Village Ford for an oil change or just hungry for some good food, come check out Brazen Bagels.
