Thursday, July 11, 2013

loafin’ around



Back in the day, Abraham Orwasher’s bread was the bomb on the UpperEastSide.

He opened in 1916 but even as late as the mid-1970‘s, his bread was the destination loaf in the hood.

An immigrant from eastern Europe, his rye and pumpernickel and those cloud-light challah breads were community staples.

His son Louis took the business during World War 2 and later grandson Abram was in charge, using the same coal-fired brick ovens his grandfather had built in the cellar. 
And the bread was consistently the same.

Alas.
In 2007 the business left family hands for the first time in 91 years.

The awning is new and the graphics have changed and the breads are different now, based in Long Island wine grape starters instead of Eastern European sourdough.

They’re still very good. These salt sticks were terrific.

But I miss the chewy originals.  

And that's the yeast of it.


308 East 78th Street, (212) 288-6569

1 comment:

  1. AnonymousJuly 11, 2013

    I do know the feeling. My dad's bakery in Utah was kindof world famous. Well, when someone from England comes in and tells you that he was told to come if he got a chance, then.... I miss the smell of cookies coming down the street to our house. Fresh doughnuts like no other i have had since. Yumm boy do i miss it. Xoxo ms T

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