Issue #41, January 19, 2007

The Bakers Of The North Fork

A Couple Of Humbe North Fork Bakers Share Their Passion

By Phyllis Lombardi

That’s the way the cookie crumbles. Or in this case, hundreds of millions of cookies and tons and tons of crumb cake. Oh, that crumb cake!

You gotta know the sticky business I’m talking about. Entenmann’s, of course. The Bay Shore bakery has sweetened Long Island life for over 100 years. And now? Well, now they’re moving part of their production (the crumb cake part) to a Pennsylvania location where utility costs and taxes are lower. Cookies will come to Long Island from a bakery in Albany.

At this very moment I’m at my kitchen table and in addition to pen and paper, I’ve a cup of tea in a white ceramic mug – the familiar blue horse-drawn bakery wagon and the words Entenmann’s Since 1898, the mug’s comfortable decoration. I’ve had this mug for years and am quite fond of it. As, I suppose, Long Islanders feel about most things Entenmanns’s.

Nearly 350 people will lose their Entenmannn’s jobs – leaving just under 700 workers at the Bay Shore site. That’s the tough part. No Entenmann’s sugar can help that medicine go down.

Obviously, North Forkers wish those 350 people the best of luck. May they find secure and fulfilling work – soon. Also, it’s obvious North Forkers will continue to purchase and enjoy Entenmann’s products. But this whole business got me to thinking about some outstanding bakers on the North Fork. Not folks who own pastry shops, but simply some women who belong to an organization almost as old as Entenmann’s – the Cutchogue Homemakers.

This group is one of hundreds of Homemaker groups across New York State. Originally sponsored by Cornell University, the groups are now independent. Their goals are educational and social (the Cutchogue group recently had a presentation from a LIPA representative). And good eating plays a big part in so many of their meetings. Especially good cake.

So say hello to some North Fork bakers, all members of Cutchogue Homemakers. Fortunately, you’ll just read about the calories!

Let’s start with Riverhead’s Olga Stero. (Yeah, that’s right. You don’t have to live in Cutchogue.) Olga grew up in New York City and even as a teen she was elbow-deep in flour and sugar. Now her best effort is a nut roll. Listen to this. Pecans, finely chopped, eggs, sugar. Bake and top with whipped cream. (No flour at all.) Olga says this is special occasion stuff. For ordinary occasions? Olga serves up a sour cream coffee cake. You’d love it.

Then there’s Carrie Higgins. Carrie’s from Southold but her roots go north to Newfoundland. She calls herself a Newfie and proves it when she gets to work with Newfoundland’s partridgeberries (lingonberries in the United States). There’s partridgeberry upside down cake, partridgeberry meringue pie (you can skip the meringue, add a lattice top and ice cream), or partridgeberry coffee cake. Carrie says if you can’t get lingonberries, cranberries will do.

Carrie reminisces about another Newfie dish – fish and brewis. That’s codfish and hard tack (sea biscuit) soaked in water, drained, and kinda mushed together. Her brothers hated it. I think I would too.

One thing more about Carrie. Her goodbye is a Newfie “toodleloo.” Just as smooth as that meringue.

Now for a Cutchogue Homemaker who lives in Cutchogue. That’s Carol Buhler. Pies are her strong suit (she’s always in demand when it comes to bridge, too). I have tasted her blueberry pie and there’s none better. But then there’s apple, pumpkin and lemon. Cutchogue Homemakers have enjoyed them, of course. But so have thousands of people from all over Long Island. How come? Well, for many years Carol has volunteered her baking skills to Cutchogue United Methodist Church. The lobster fest in mid summer, the scallop dinner on Election Day, the flounder dinner each Spring. The church sponsors them all. And Carol’s baking for days before each event. May I have another piece, please?

So this is the least the North Fork can do. To those 350 Entenmann’s workers who have fed us so well over the years, we say thank you. We ask you to visit us on the North Fork. Sit down and have a cup of tea with us. We will offer you a piece of cake, too. Made with care and love for you, as you have done for us.