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FOODIE
On The Road With The Bakery
Boys
By Peter Sloggatt / foodie@longislandernews.com
Thomas and Greg Reinwald grew up in the bakery
business. So did their father, and his father before him.
This summer, the fourth-generation bakery boys took the ultimate
foodie road trip; starting from Los Angeles, the brothers
drove across the south and up the east coast, visiting 22
small town bakeries in 11 states.
The Heritage Road Tour, as they called their adventure, was
taken on behalf of the Retail Bakers of America, a trade association
representing independently owned and operated bake shops like
the one that Greg and Tom grew up in. It so happens that their
dad Richard, owner of Reinwald's Bakery, on New York Avenue
in Huntington, is president of the association. In business
for 21 years in Huntington, Richard's family has owned bakeries
in New York City, the Bronx, Valley Stream, Queens and New
Hyde Park.
In Richard's view, small town bakeries are
a fast-disappearing part of the cultural fabric of America.
That's not how the Heritage Road Tour came about, however.
That had more to do with the fact that Greg, who was living
in Los Angeles, decided to return to school. School was half
a country away at The University of Michigan. When a friend
who was going to drive with him changed plans, Greg called
on his brother Thomas, who was spending his summer as an intern
with the Retail Bakers of America. Thinking a little outside
the box, the Reinwald clan (mom Cathy and older brother Richard
are also involved in the family business) came up with the
Heritage Road Tour.
The tour started in L.A. and took the boys
to bakeries across the south and up the east coast to explore
the history of retail bakeries and their strong connections
with their local communities. A homecoming celebration staged
at Reinwald's Bakery in Huntington this past Saturday brought
together many local Long Island bakery owners.
For the welcome home celebration, Reinwald's
invited the community for barbecued hot dogs, iced tea and
lots of bakery goodies. In fact, the Reinwalds brought much
of the trip home to Huntington by baking some of the many
recipes the boys were able to collect during their tour. A
Key Lime Tart from Florida; a Southern Cannolli, Banana Bread
Pudding, and Richard Reinwald's favorite, Snickerdoodle cookies.
A sort of sugary buttery pecan shortbread, Snickerdoodles
are a favorite throughout the south, and probably will be
found in Reinwald's showcases before too long.
While Saturday's event was a homecoming,
the tour is just past the halfway mark. Greg and Tom will
soon be doing the northern leg of the trip, ending in Michigan.
As with the southern leg, they will chronicle their journey
on Retail Bakers of America's website at www.rbanet.com/2009RoadTour.htm.
Being a couple of 21st century guys, they can also be followed
on Twitter.
Richard Reinwald noted that recent years
have been difficult on local-owned bakeries. When gasoline
prices drove up the cost of flour and other commodities, he
testified in Washington D.C. before a Senate committee on
the rising cost of food.
"Between the astronomical increases
in the price of commodities and the recession, many bakeries
are struggling to survive," he said. "The Heritage
Tour is also looking to the future in how retailers are meeting
challenges and creating opportunities while managing their
businesses for success."
Reinwald's Bakery
495 New York Ave, Huntington
631-424-4034www.reinwaldsbakery.com
Hours: Mon: Closed
Tue-Thu: 6:30 am to 6 pm
Fri-Sat: 6:30 am to 7 pm
Sun: 6:30 am to 5 pm
Follow the travels of Greg and
Thomas Reinwald, fourth-generation members of the Reinwald
bakery family, on a cross-country tour of American bakeshops,
at the Retail Bakers of America website, www.rbanet.com/ 2009RoadTour.htm.
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