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919-741-7764 | tom@justrugelach.com
Our Story
The idea for Just Rugelach was conceived while working at The Fifth Avenue Epicure in Manhattan’s Flat Iron District. I developed a recipe loosely based on a cream-cheese and butter pastry that my Slovak grandmother used to make, and rugelach that was served at a predominantly Jewish country club in NJ where I was cooking years earlier. After many years in fine dining, I developed a love for baking and was determined to strike out on my own, after receiving rave and encouraging reviews.
Rugelach, an Austro-Hungarian, filled, baked confection, has been enjoyed since the late eighteenth century originating in the Jewish communities of Poland, is savored by people of all backgrounds and cultures across the globe nowadays, and has found a home in many non-Jewish bakeries and households.
My goal was to provide the highest quality, hand-made products, and to wholesale to New York’s fine foods stores, cafes, coffee bars, delicatessens, caterers, hotels, and country clubs. Sharing a small kitchen space with a good friend who owned a catering business, I baked by night and walked the streets of the city peddling my freshly baked goodies by day. In no time we had a thriving wholesale business, several locations at the city’s “Green Markets”, and began shipping decorative tins for every occasion. After nearly fifteen years, and partly due to the tragic events 9/11, my wife Roselie and I and our four young children relocated to Wake Forest, NC, to find a gentler, softer, way of life.
Since that time, our family has been part of the fabric of the Wake Forest community. In 2010, we opened The Main Street Grille, and later, The Main Street Grille Pizzeria, The Bake Shoppe, and The Catering Company. As our family grew, so did the Halik enterprise, deeply ingrained in the day-to-day life of many local and out-of-town visitors. Sadly, the business became a casualty of the pandemic.
Ever optimistic, and looking ahead, I am pleased to announce the e-commerce, re-launch of Just Rugelach! We are now shipping decorative tins of our beloved, freshly baked, handmade Rugelach, nationwide. From just one tin to corporate gift giving, nothing expresses your thoughtfulness like sending a gift directly from our ovens to your front door!
Remember, the best things in life are sweet!
You won’t be able to eat Just one!
We look forward to serving you.
919-741-7764 | tom@justrugelach.com