The Schwartz Bakery site is a combination of aromas and flavors, just like the bakery itself.
The bakery represents a simpler time, a time where family and community were more important than they seem to be now.
A principled time, when it felt like most people acted out of their convictions, and our behavior outside of our homes reflected the oily conventions of social politeness that kept us going.
The Schwartz Bakery, created as a family business by immigrants to this great country, continued for 50 years, as a craft bakery gone rogue to become the go-to Columbus commercial specialty bakery. It supplied the tea rooms of the big department stores, distinguished itself in fine diners, stocked grocery shelves, and was the pie in the Ohio State Fair's Dutch Apple Pie À La Mode stands.
As the city's kosher bakery, it provided the challah baskets for bar and bat mitzvah celebrations, the multi-tiered cakes for the weddings, the doughnuts for the Minyanaires Sunday morning services, and the pastries for every Mazel Tov occassion.
I was fortunate to be born into the Schwartz family, and even had a few summers' work at the bakery. I've reached out to some others who remember the store, and asked them to share some stories with me.
I've compiled the stories, and have captured them here. I hope you enjoy them as much as I've enjoyed reminiscing about them!
I have also taken the bakery's recipe book, and cut down some of the recipes for home baking, and added instructions for preparation.
This site's material has been selected from material intended for a book, which will include many more stories and recipes. The News portion of the site will provide updates on its preparation and release.
Meanwhile, the site material will change from time to time, so keep visiting!