  Flybydon Member Username: Flybydon Post Number: 264 Registered: 01-2005 |
A lady friend has returned to spend the holidays in Detroit. She’s not fond of the over the counter bread in this country and has asked if Detroit has any German Bakeries. Myself being a life long resident of the far eastside eating only Wonder Bread most of this life and having no idea as to where to find such a bakery. Any suggestions from the wise and knowledgeable d-yes Any suggestions from the wise and knowledgeable d-yes forum ??  | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 2027 Registered: 04-2006 |
The german community started around the Eastern Market and generally followed an outward migration along John R. It was never a very large community such as the Poles, Arabs or Southern Blacks. I don't know of any bakeries personally within the City Limits and being a West Sider I am not very familiar with the businesses along John R or its nearby Mile Roads. Perhaps a search in areas such as Troy, Sterling Heights, Warren, or Madison Heights may result in some positive findings? Good Luck. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 7547 Registered: 08-2004 |
The crusty roll that Germans know as "Brötchen", and are consumed by Germans daily (usually at breakfast) can be found at the Polish Market (3/$1) in Hamtramck (on Jos Campau). I've spent years trying to find these in the USA, and about a month ago came across the best knockoff to the brötchen I've ever found in the USA. As far as bread goes... Germans love rye bread... and the tastiest rye is (IMHO) that found at some of the Jewish Deli's in the Southfield area. The Stage Deli on 12 Mile & Telegraph, the Plaza Deli on 12 Mile & Northwestern, and the Bread Basket Deli at Greenfield & 10 1/2 Mile all sell outstanding "double baked" rye bread (that can be purchased in hand sliced loaves) that any German would love. Now as far as pastries or cakes go... Germans tend to generally find American cakes and pastries much too sweet. Americans go overboard on their use of sugar and artificial creams. Josef's Bakery in Grosse Pointe Woods (on Mack Ave.) is a Patisserie (Konditorei in German) that sells European style cakes and pastries. They use much less sugar than most bakeries, and the buttercream in their cakes is real buttercream, not the artificial stuff often found elsewhere. Also they use real whipped cream for their pastries (such as cream puffs) that require whipped cream... not the artificial stuff such as Cool Whip (Yuk!). There was a newly established bakery opening up in Clinton Township (near Hall Rd.) that claims to have real German recipies. But I found their brötchen rolls unconvincing as German rolls. Gistok... spent 13 summers in Germany. | ||
Cinderpath Member Username: Cinderpath Post Number: 921 Registered: 05-2006 |
I would second my vote for Polish Market-My Austrian wife, and I agree with Gistok- best knockoff in the USA on Brötchen, or in Austria "Semmel" http://www.felberbrot.at/index .php?parentid=56&contentid=66& produkt=brot&produktid=125 I'd also add Avalon Bakery Cinderpath....spent 6 years in Austria. Nothing beats a wooden plate, with Speck, Käse, Kren, und Brot, and polished off with an Obstler Schnaps....... | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 2028 Registered: 04-2006 |
Gistok, you sure you don't mean Star Deli at 12 and Telegraph? If twice baked rye is what they want, I know of a few places on the West Side that sell it. I thought it was more polish than german. | ||
65memories Member Username: 65memories Post Number: 645 Registered: 10-2003 |
http://www.germanryebread.com/ | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 7550 Registered: 08-2004 |
Thanks Detroitplanner... I always confuse the Star Deli (Southfield) with the Stage Deli (Oak Park). LOL... as for German vs. Polish... the borders between Germany and Poland have moved back and forth so much over the last 1000 years that neither can honestly claim rye bread as their own... ditto for Sauer Kraut and even Kielbasa. Hell they're still arguing over whether Nickolai Copernicus was German or Polish!  This intermingling of the cultures also holds true to the racial mix of Germans and Poles... I know lots of Poles with blue eyes... and that's a Germanic trait. Germans like to blame that one on the Vikings though (and not the Teutonic Knights )... the Vikings raped and pillaged their way as far as Kiev Ukraine back in the early Middle Ages. | ||
Thecarl Member Username: Thecarl Post Number: 1462 Registered: 04-2005 |
my great-aunt made "butterhorns," a small rolled-up pastry with a brown-sugar and spice filling, topped with a splash of white frosting and sprinkled with walnuts. these were common in frankenmuth. many ladies shared the same recipe, but for whatever reason - my great-aunt's were always the best! the point of this is that subtleties can exist across borders, on different streets, and even between next-door neighbors doing the exact same thing with the exact same cookbook! gistok, is there a german name for this treat - other than "butterhorn?" | ||
Crawford Member Username: Crawford Post Number: 443 Registered: 10-2006 |
Regarding Germans and Poles, they're basically the same people. Besides the constant border changes, poorer Poles have been moving into wealthier Germany for centuries. A HUGE percentage of Berliners have Polish blood. Similarly, a HUGE percentage of those in the Ruhrgebiet (the most populous part of Germany, including Duesseldorf, Essen, Dortmund, and sorta including Cologne) have Polish blood. The Poles have been migrating to the Ruhrgebiet for work since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 725 Registered: 08-2007 |
During WW2,MY uncle said my German side of the family became Polish,But as for Bakerys the only 2 my Mom went to were Chamberlin&Knudsens,I would pick up bread from the Pure Food Bakery which like Chamberlins is gone. Good Luck. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 7558 Registered: 08-2004 |
Cinderpath... what I wouldn't give right now for a Sahnetorte or Sachertorte and a strong Wiener Kaffee (mit Sahne). The Carpathia Club in Sterling Heights makes excellent Kipferl a few times a year. Whenever they do, I buy a dozen of those crescent shaped caraway seed topped rolls, and stick most in the freezer for a few weeks... That reminds me... Aldi's... the European owned food stores now found all over metro Detroit(that are also found all over Germany, and I would presume Austria as well)... they have imported frozen Torte's and Strudel's under the "Deutsche Küche" name brand. I'm going to get me a "Erdbeere Sahne Torte" (Strawberry Cream Torte) today! (Message edited by Gistok on November 25, 2008) | ||
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox Post Number: 1046 Registered: 04-2006 |
I've yet to check out the Polish Market's Brötchen, although I certainly plan to now. A few of my favorite bakeries are New Palace, Nortown, and Star. None of them are technically German, but a German bread snob should enjoy them nevertheless. New Palace is Polish. It's on the west side of Jos. Campau south of Caniff in Hamtramck. Nortown is Romanian, and is on the north side of Seven Mile west of Van Dyke. Star is Jewish, and is on the west side of Coolidge north of 10 1/2 in Oak Park. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 6915 Registered: 12-2005 |
Polish: http://www.uticaheightsbakery. com/ | ||
Flybydon Member Username: Flybydon Post Number: 265 Registered: 01-2005 |
Thanks again to all of you. Your information was as usual right on. We found the bakery and she's happy as a lark $42.59 later.  Hope she eat's all this before the green spots appear. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. | ||
Michmeister Member Username: Michmeister Post Number: 288 Registered: 10-2006 |
I`ll tell you folks something, there are many things that I miss, not being at home in the D, but the bread is not on my list. The newest form of americana, what I also refer to as "Fast Food Cancer" that has spilled over to Germany is the Subway chain. The toppings are fine-fresh and tasty and all that BUT the rolls are really disgusting, the typical gooey half-baked crud that I knew and hated as a kid. I`ll always be thankful for my mother doing her baked -goods shopping at Koepplingers, back in the day. | ||
Spatzel00 Member Username: Spatzel00 Post Number: 1 Registered: 11-2008 |
Gistok, Aren't you affilliated with the Polish Market??? So many of these sites are filled with store owners. | ||
Spatzel00 Member Username: Spatzel00 Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2008 |
I spent the first 32 years of my life in Germany when I finally moved to Detroit in 1968. I've been to the place with the rolls in Hamtramck. They are ok, but nothing like I remember growing up in Germany as a little girl, plus they are very small rolls. I prefer the Rheinland Bakery in Clinton Township. They are difficult to find, but they are worth it. Many of our friends from the German American Cultural Center buy their breads and rolls too. My husband says they are right across from the Macomb County jail. He picks up our rolls every Saturday. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 7570 Registered: 08-2004 |
Spatzel00, I think you are talking about different rolls at the Hamtramck Market. For some reason some weeks they don't have the larger "brötchen" size rolls (exactly the same size as those found in Germany). Those weeks I have had to buy the smaller ones, which are harder, and which like you said are nothing like those in Germany, and are not worth the drive from the suburbs. Ironically the Carpathia Hall (where most Detroit area German clubs now call home) buys its bread from the "Ethnic Bakery" on Van Dyke & 9 1/2 Mile in Centerline. Ironically it is a Macedonian bakery. Also, I've tried the rolls at the Rheinland Bakery... in my opinion they are not as good as those larger rolls at the Polish Market. Spatzel00, I have absolutely no affiliation with any bakery anywhere. I'm not Polish either... 100% German (50% Oberfränkish, 50% Donauschwäbish), and a member of Carpathia Club. Whenever Carpathia Club makes their Kipferl (2 or 3 times a year), I always stock up my freezer with those tasty Austrian crescent rolls. (Message edited by Gistok on December 01, 2008) | ||
Spatzel00 Member Username: Spatzel00 Post Number: 3 Registered: 11-2008 |
Gistok, I am talking about the "Broetchen", or at least that's what they call them, and I was buying them for quite a few years before Rheinland Bakery opened. There is a flavor or something missing from them, and they are small. I must say that I find it a bit odd that as long as the Polish Market has been around, and as long as they have been selling those rolls, you are just now discovering them. After all, you have spent years trying to find them in the USA, right? | ||
Bearinabox Member Username: Bearinabox Post Number: 1051 Registered: 04-2006 |
^^Troll. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 7575 Registered: 08-2004 |
quote: With over 7,500 posts on this forum, I find it hard to believe that anyone would mistake me for a store owner! quote: Well since I'm not Polish, I don't think that me not going to the Polish Market is all that unusual. Besides the rolls, there's hardly anything in that store that interests me, or is worth the bother going down there for. And as for me... searching for "rolls across America" is not in my top 20 things to do in life... Also, I just measured a roll from the Polish Market... 5 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide... hardly "small". Earlier this year someone from the Rheinland Bakery posted here about their new business (someone in fact who had a biography very similar to yours Spatzel00). I sent my brother out there to buy some, but although they were quite tasty, they weren't quite the Brötchens that I remember when living in Bavaria. My brother, sister and mother all agreed that they were quite tasty... but not what we remember. Perhaps, like German Bratwurst, Brötchen vary from region to region... most of my Germany travels and living have been in Bavaria and Austria, so I cannot vouch for what one would taste like in say Schleswig-Holstein, or Niedersachsen or say Nord-Rhein-Westfalen. I have heard good things from the Rheinland Bakery, and with most German-Americans migrating to central Macomb County, it has a good central location for that clientele. I will have to make a trip there to try out some of their breads. Ironically most 1st generation Germans that I know (from Carpathia Club and other GACC groups) rarely venture into Detroit (or Hamtramck). I guess they watch too many 5PM newscasts!  |
