Subject: Balducci's russian coffee cake
From: Paula
Date: 12/2/2019, 5:46 AM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
On 12/1/2019 2:48 PM, Paula wrote:
Hello,
I'm trying to find this recipe for my brother-in-law. I have done loads of searching
and so far have found no recipes but one tantalizing clue. The cakes were made for
Balducci's and Zabar's by a Jewish baker named Benjamin Ross, who learned to bake in
the concentration camp Dachau and had three bakeries in NYC including the Clearview
Bakery in Queens (I think). I got this from the prologue of a book written by his
son Steven J. Ross: Hitler in Los Angeles
I can't find any recipes from the Clearview Bakery OR this one from Balducci's. With
this clue, any chance that you could help?
I do see that you've been asked before, but I thought this extra clue might make it
worth asking, if you haven't already seen it.
Thanks,
Paula
Hi Paula,
That's very interesting. Benjamin Ross' obituary from 2004, which mentions the cakes,
is here: New York Times Death Notices 06-05-2004
Other than the reference that you give from the prologue of Hitler in Los Angeles:
How Jews Foiled Nazi Plots Against Hollywood and America By Steven J. Ross (Benjamin's son),
and the mention in the obituary, I can find nothing about Benjamin's Ross' Russian coffee cake.
Balducci's has changed owners, and I can't find anything about their fruitcake. I found only
a few brief mentions of Clearview Bakery in Queens.
Steven Ross might have his father's Russian coffee cake recipe, if you could contact him, but
the recipe was probably sold to another bakery such as Delancy's or to Zabar's itself when
Benjamin retired.
Thanks for writing. I'll add this to my information about Zabar's.
Phaed
