32 March 28 • 2019
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any people find joy tinker-
ing in the kitchen, using
flavors and textures to
express themselves and sharing with
those close to them. Avid home chefs
often hear their friends and family
suggest they turn pro — sell their cre-
ations in a store or open a restaurant.
That is usually where the scheming
ends.
Not so for Mindy Ruben. The West
Bloomfield resident took her cre-
ations from the kitchen to
grocery store shelves around
Metro Detroit. Ruben
launched Mindy’
s Yummy
Sauces in late 2018 with
the cooking sauce “Sesame,
Sesame.”
“It’
s got a little bit of
sweetness, a little bit of
tang,” says Ruben, a mem-
ber of Congregation B’
nai
Moshe in West Bloomfield.
“It has a complex flavor with
many layers to it.”
Ruben began making
sauces at home 12 years ago
after being dissatisfied with
store-bought dressings and
marinades. Everything tast-
ed too salty or garlicky. She
wanted to see if she could do
any better and began com-
bining ingredients.
“I would stand between my pantry
and my refrigerator and I would close
my eyes. I would imagine ingredients
coming together in a bowl. My family
would always say, ‘
Mom, remember
how you made this because I want
this again.’
Of course, I never wrote
anything down. This went on for
years,” Ruben says.
Years later, her youngest and
soon-to-be college-bound daughter
encouraged Ruben to take her sauces
on the road. The new venture allowed
her to combine her two passions —
cooking and marketing.
Ruben has been in marketing and
advertising for more than 30 years
and has run her own company out of
her home, all while being a stay-at-
home mom.
The trick was to make the leap
from the stovetop to the market shelf.
Ruben decided to focus on the sesa-
me sauce, all while keeping the recipe
gluten-free and vegan. The idea was
to make a sauce that everyone could
eat, regardless of dietary restrictions
or allergies. She began working in an
industrial kitchen and even-
tually found a co-packer to
help with production.
“I want to be the brains
behind this whole company
and the progenitor of the
recipes, and do the market-
ing, branding and selling. I
really didn’
t want to be mix-
ing this up three days a week
in an industrial kitchen,”
Ruben says.
After some cold-calling
and pavement-pounding,
Mindy’
s Yummy Sauces are
in nine stores in the area, as
well as on Amazon.
Danielle Sprecher has
known Ruben for 35 years
and is now a loyal customer.
“I use it primarily on
salmon and grilled vege-
tables,” Sprecher says. “My
husband and daughter love when I
cook with [it].”
Ruben says she could have slipped
into the leisurely life of an empty
nester. But she is not ready to kick
her feet up just yet.
“I’
ll be 53 this month and I feel
younger than I did when I was 23,”
Ruben says. “If I’
m going to do this,
I better do this now because I don’
t
know what I’
m going to feel like in
10 years. Right now I feel great. I feel
energized, vibrant and excited.” ■
Visit mindysyummysauces.com for more info
or look for it on Facebook.
Sesame, Sesame, the
first Yummy Sauce
brought to market
Saucy!
Mindy Ruben took
her own blend from
the stovetop to
market shelves.
ROB STREIT SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Mindy Ruben with her marketing display
business
Complete Dinners Available.
Please place order by Tuesday, April 9th.
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Entrees
Herb Roasted 1/2 Chicken
8.99
ea.
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11.99
per portion
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7.99
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Chopped Liver
14.99
lb.
Gefilte Fish
4.99
ea.
Chicken Soup
8.99
qt.
Matzo Ball
1.25
ea.
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8.99
qt.
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8.99
qt.
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4.99
lb.
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8.99
qt.
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6.99
lb.
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13.99
½ doz.
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doz.
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pt.
Charoset
6.99
pt.
Seder Plate
11.99
ea.
Potato Kugal
2.99
ea.
Matzo Kugal
2.99
ea.
Potato Kugal — 1/2 pan
35.99
ea.
Matzo Kugal — 1/2 pan
35.99
ea.
Bagels
1.25
ea.
Cabbage Salad
6.99
lb.
Cucumber Salad
6.99
lb.
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Bloom’s
PASSOVER 2019
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248-914-1878
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