Bubbe’s Bakery – Sweetening Marco One Bite at a Time

What do you get when you mix some family hand-me-down recipes and a heaping dose of caring grandmothers? You get Bubbe’s Bakery! 

This year, the Jewish Congregation of Marco Island (JCMI) will be hosting Bubbe’s Jewish Bakery Sale and Café on Sunday, December 3rd. And based on the aromas coming from the kitchens this past week, there will be plenty to satisfy every sweet tooth in town.

In Judaism, “bubbe” means grandmother, and recently, they were in full force preparing swoon-worthy apple strudels in the JCMI kitchen. The assembly line in the gymnasium went like this: apple peeling (done with a handy machine), then cut into slices. The cut apples are then moved to the “spice lady,” who seasoned them with all those warm fall flavors, some raisins and a hint of citrus. Then, the bowls made their way into the kitchen, where the strudel was assembled and baked. “We’ve been very lucky with help,” said Bubbe’s Bakery co-chair Beth Weinberg. “People come and go when they have the time. They come in and help us.” Weinberg added that a lot of members are baking things at home and will be bringing those delectables to the sale.

Bubbe’s Bakery co-chair Barb Holtz talked about the new Bubbe’s Bakery tradition. “One side of the room will be the bakery and the other side a café where you can get a Kosher hot dog, bag of chips and a drink for just $7,” said Holtz. “Come and have lunch or you can buy a slice of cake and a cup of coffee.” 

Bubbe’s Bakery will offer a combination of traditional Eastern European favorites and American standards like rugelach, babka, kugel, challah, chocolate chip coffee cake, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies. But that’s not all. There will be Simca Cake, a blessing cake of chocolate chips, raisins and nuts; Mandel bread, which is like a biscotti; and cupcakes decorated for Hanukkah which starts the evening of December 7th. And while technically not a baked goodie, a can’t miss sale item will be the homemade chicken soup with matzo balls from family recipes, sold by the quart.

While some of the baked goods come from more current recipes, many have been passed down from generation to generation, like Esther “Estie” Karpman’s honey cake recipe, another sweet treat that will be available at Bubbe’s Bakery. Her recipe, brought over from Germany by her great-grandmother, is over 100 years old and hasn’t changed in all those years. “Nobody messes around with the recipe,” said a smiling Karpman. “When our grandmothers handed this down to my mother she would go ‘a bissel of this and a bissel of that’. A bissel means a little bit. Or a little squeeze of this and she’d hold out her hand. That’s how they used to measure.” Now, Estie has her recipe written down. “I don’t trust myself,” she said with a laugh.

This fundraiser will benefit the temple and promises to delight the taste buds of young and old alike. Once the items are gone, they’re gone, so come early! Security will be on hand at Bubbe’s Bakery and Café, one day only, Sunday, December 3rd from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at JCMI, 991 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island.