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42 | SEPTEMBER 3 • 2020 

 Sam has had Jewish vacationers and 
local residents visit the store. The presi-
dent of Traverse City’
s Beth Shalom syna-
gogue and a rabbi from Petoskey’
s Temple 
B’
nai Israel have been customers. As for 
shipping of Bubbie’
s Bagels for downstate 
Metro Detroiters to enjoy, “for now that is 
limited to what my parents are willing to 
shove into the backseat of their car,” Sam 
said with a laugh. 
It’
s not unusual for orders of 200 bagels 
to be packed into the Brickman’
s backseat 
for their friends and family upon a return 
trip from visiting their son. 
I consumed, actually, inhaled 12 bagels 
over a four-day period. I have no shame 
when it comes to a schmear on a bagel. 
They were worth every one of the 4 lbs. I 
gained. 

More than just a catchy name, there’
s a 
real baking Bubbie behind Bubbie’
s Bagels 
— Esther Kraft, Risa Brickman’
s mother, 
of blessed memory, who passed away in 
2012. While she didn’
t actually bake bagels, 
Bubbie Esther’
s renowned cooking prowess 
is the inspiration for and the face of her 
grandson’
s business. Her strawberry and 
apricot ruggalah is featured in the store and 
her mandel and banana breads may not be 
far behind. 
In 2012, just prior to Chanukah, the 
Detroit Free Press dedicated a two-page 
spread to Esther’
s latke recipe. But she didn’
t 
seek fame. Esther was only into cooking for 
the fun, the food and, most importantly, the 
family. That was the recipe for three gener-
ations worth of incredible memories in the 
Kraft’
s Farmington Hills kitchen. 

“She taught us baking was fun,
” Risa said. 
“But it was serious, too. You had to level 
your flour exactly, line up your cookies 
and admire your results. To this day, all 12 
grandchildren, boys and girls, are creative 
bakers and are comfortable in the kitchen.
” 
The family still has regular baking chal-
lenges, a babka competition being the most 
recent.
Sam is the lone grandchild to turn his 
experiences with his Bubbie in the kitchen 

Nosh
eats | drinks | sweets

Time to make the bagels. Charlie Baker shows how it’
s done.

details
Bubbie’
s Bagels
1215 E. Front St., 
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 252-3587
www.bubbiesbagelstc.com

s,
s

d
“She taught us baking was fun” Risa said

His Bubbie, Esther 
Kraft, is shown on the 
labels below and on 
the wall with Grandpa 
Aaron.

