APRIL 22 • 2021 | 53

RASKIN
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING

T

hey had never been in 
business before … let 
alone at a delicates-
sen-restaurant … Irving and 
Rose Guttman met after the 
World War II at 
a German dis-
placed persons’ 
camp, took odd 
jobs and opened 
a little place in 
Hamtramck before 
one that was even-

tually listed among Michigan’s 
best eateries as Irving’s 
Delicatessen on Greenfield north 
of 11 Mile in Southfield.
Rose had taught herself to 
make many delicious standout 
dishes … and Irving had learned 
to cut corned beef, etc., by hand 
behind the counter.
Rose and Irving were responsi-
ble for having the only restaurant 
then that made old-fashioned 
boiled whitefish … Rose did all 
her own cooking of fish … trout, 
baked whitefish, etc. … Gefilte 
fish and broiled whitefish were 
Rose’s delicious specialties.
People came for her stuffed 
cabbage, stuffed pepper, baked 
lamb shanks, beef flanken, 
breaded fried chicken, etc. … All, 
mind you, from a woman who 
had to learn how to cook!
Whenever I went to Irving’s, it 
seemed like everybody was hav-
ing her chicken-in-the-pot with 
kreplach, matzah ball, boiled 
potato, etc., among many other 
choices and variations.
Rose was amazing … On 
Fridays and Saturdays, she made 

her own challah bread and per-
sonal dishes.
Irving’s was noted for grinding 
its own meat … which at that 
time was a tremendous asset, 
knowing that 100 percent came 
out of the grinder fully cut and 
were not scraps.
Both Jews and non-Jews could 
sum up Irving’s Delicatessen as 
being everything that they could 
want … and then some!
Many people going into the 
restaurant business for the first 
time could learn much by follow-
ing the roads of Rose and Irving 
Guttman … Whatever their din-
ing dreams may have been, they 
certainly were mighty fantastic 
and wonderful!
Numerous other folks who 
have dreamed of owning a 
restaurant can certainly make 
their dreams come true … if they 
modeled their dreams on Irving’s 
Delicatessen … the greatest niche 
in a vision of reality. 
OLDIE BUT GOODIE … (Still 
another version) …While out 
shopping, the girl noticed an 
elderly lady sitting on a bench 
sobbing her eyes out … The girl 

stopped and asked why she was 
crying. 
The lady said, “I have a won-
derful, handsome husband at 
home. He gets up and makes me 
pancakes, sausages, fresh fruit 
and freshly ground coffee.
” 
“That sounds terrific,
” says the 
girl. “So why are you crying?” 
The older woman continued, 
“He makes me delicious home-
made soup for lunch and always 
my favorite cake.
” 
“For that, you are crying?” says 
the girl. 
“For dinner he makes me a 
fantastic gourmet meal with wine 
and my favorite dessert and then 
we cuddle until 2 o’
clock in the 
morning.
” 
The girl asks again, “So why 
in the whole wide world are you 
crying?” 
The elderly lady sobbed again 
and said, “I can’t remember 
where I live!”
CONGRATS … To Greg Smith 
on his birthday … to Keri Cohen 
on her birthday. 

Danny’s email address is 
dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

Danny 
Raskin
Senior Columnist

Memories 
of Irving’s 
– A Great 
Jewish Deli

Rose 
Guttman

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