The Little Rye Bakehouse: Rye & Rec Room Menu

Breads & Bagels

Ashkenazi deli breads, from seeded rye to bialys, baked for sandwiches and Shabbat tables.

• Corn RyeVegetarian · VeganHeavy, moist New York-style sour rye with a cornmeal-dusted bottom and a crackling crust, sold by the pound and sliced to order.
• Pumpernickel RaisinVegetarian · VeganDark, slightly sweet pumpernickel loaf studded with plump raisins, dense and moist, often toasted with cream cheese.
• ChallahVegetarianBraided egg bread with a glossy, lacquered crust and a soft, pull-apart interior, traditionally baked for Friday night Shabbat dinner.
• BialysVegetarian · VeganFlat, chewy rolls from Białystok with a sunken center filled with roasted onion and poppy seeds, baked rather than boiled.
• BagelsVegetarian · VeganHand-rolled rings, boiled then baked for a chewy, dense bite and a shiny crust, in plain, sesame, poppy, onion and everything.
• Onion PletzelVegetarian · VeganLarge, flat onion board topped with caramelized onions and poppy seeds, crisp at the edges and torn into pieces at the table.
• Jewish RyeVegetarian · VeganSour rye loaf flecked with caraway seeds, with a shiny, chewy crust and a tight crumb sturdy enough for piled-high pastrami sandwiches.

Babka & Cakes

Swirled yeast cakes and loaf cakes sold whole or by the slice.

• Cinnamon BabkaVegetarianBraided babka with cinnamon-sugar ribbons running through a soft, buttery dough, finished with a crumbly streusel topping.
• Honey Cake (Lekach)Vegetarian · SeasonalDark, fragrant loaf sweetened with honey and spiced with cinnamon, clove and coffee, baked for a sweet new year at Rosh Hashanah.
• Marble Pound CakeVegetarianDense loaf cake with ribbons of chocolate and vanilla batter folded together, tight-crumbed and good for slicing thin with coffee.
• New York CheesecakeVegetarianTall, dense cheesecake of cream cheese on a graham or sponge base, creamy and tangy with a lightly browned top.
• Jewish Apple CakeVegetarianTube cake layered with cinnamon-tossed apple slices, made with oil for a moist, tender crumb and a crackly sugared top.
• Chocolate BabkaVegetarian · Popular pickTwisted yeast loaf with many swirls of dark chocolate filling, often topped with crunchy streusel, moist and rich in every slice.

Cookies & Rugelach

Deli-counter cookies sold by the piece or by the pound.

• Black & White CookiesVegetarian · Popular pickOversized, cake-like cookies with a soft vanilla-lemon crumb, iced half in vanilla fondant and half in chocolate.
• RugelachVegetarian · Contains nutsRolled crescents of cream cheese dough filled with apricot jam, raspberry, chocolate or cinnamon-walnut, flaky and tender.
• MandelbrotVegetarian · Contains nutsTwice-baked almond loaves sliced into crisp oblongs, the Ashkenazi cousin of biscotti, often with chocolate chips or cinnamon sugar.
• Seven-Layer CookiesVegetarian · Contains nutsTricolor almond sponge layers stacked with apricot and raspberry jam, enrobed in a thin shell of chocolate.
• Linzer TartsVegetarian · Contains nutsJam-filled sandwich cookies of nutty shortbread dusted with powdered sugar, the raspberry center peeking through a cut-out.
• KichelVegetarianAiry, crisp bow-tie cookies made from an eggy dough sprinkled with sugar, light enough to pair with herring or schnapps.

Danish & Pastries

Laminated and yeasted pastries from the Eastern European bakery tradition.

• Kokosh CakeVegetarian · Contains nutsHungarian-style yeast cake rolled with thick layers of cocoa or walnut filling, denser than babka with fewer twists.
• Chocolate EclairVegetarianLong choux pastry filled with vanilla custard and dipped in glossy chocolate icing, a fixture of the deli bakery case.
• Cheese DanishVegetarian · Popular pickFlaky pastry wrapped around a sweet, slightly tangy farmer's cheese filling, sometimes swirled with fruit and finished with glaze.
• SchneckenVegetarian · Contains nutsSticky snail-shaped cinnamon rolls baked in a pan of brown sugar and butter, then turned out glistening with caramel and pecans.
• Prune Lekvar DanishVegetarianButter-rich Danish pastry filled with thick, dark lekvar plum butter, offering a deep, tart-sweet flavor against the flaky, golden layers.
• Apple StrudelVegetarianThin, flaky dough rolled around cinnamon apples and raisins, baked crisp and cut into slices.

Holiday Baking

Seasonal treats for Purim, Hanukkah, Rosh Hashanah and Passover.

• Coconut MacaroonsVegetarian · SeasonalChewy mounds of shredded coconut and egg white, golden at the tips, often half-dipped in chocolate for Passover.
• Passover Sponge CakeVegetarian · SeasonalTall, airy cake leavened only by whipped eggs and made with matzo cake meal and potato starch for the Passover table.
• HamantaschenVegetarian · SeasonalTriangular Purim cookies with a shortbread-like dough folded around poppy seed, prune, apricot or chocolate filling.
• SufganiyotVegetarian · SeasonalJelly-filled doughnuts fried in oil for Hanukkah, dusted with powdered sugar and filled with strawberry or raspberry jam.
• Round Raisin ChallahVegetarian · SeasonalSpiral-shaped challah studded with raisins and brushed with honey, baked for Rosh Hashanah to symbolize the cycle of the year.

Knishes & Savory

Hot savory items found at Jewish delis and bakeries.

• Potato KnishVegetarian · SavoryThin, crisp dough wrapped around a peppery mashed potato and fried onion filling, baked golden and served hot with mustard.
• Kasha KnishVegetarian · SavoryBaked knish filled with toasted buckwheat groats and onion, earthy and nutty with a toothsome texture.
• Spinach KnishVegetarian · SavoryRound baked pastry stuffed with potato and chopped spinach, seasoned with onion and black pepper.
• Potato KugelVegetarian · SavoryBaked pudding of grated potato, onion and egg with a deeply crisp top and edges and a soft, savory center.
• Lokshen KugelVegetarianSweet baked egg-noodle pudding with farmer's cheese, sour cream, cinnamon and raisins, custardy inside and crisp on top.

Sourdough loaves

Naturally leavened loaves fermented for many hours and baked dark for a blistered, crackling crust.

• Seeded sourdoughVegan · Dairy-freeSourdough loaded with sesame, flax, sunflower and pumpkin seeds inside and out, so every slice toasts up crunchy.
• Rye sourdoughVegan · Dairy-freeTangy loaf made with a good portion of rye flour, darker and more aromatic, with a moist, slightly sticky crumb.
• Kalamata olive sourdoughVegan · Dairy-freeCountry sourdough studded with briny Kalamata olives and a hint of herbs; savory enough to eat with nothing but olive oil.
• Jalapeño cheddar sourdoughVegetarian · SavorySourdough folded with sharp cheddar cubes and diced jalapeño, so melted cheese pockets crisp against the crust.
• Cranberry walnut sourdoughVegan · Contains nutsSourdough studded with tart dried cranberries and toasted walnuts; a fruity, nutty loaf for cheese boards and toast.
• Country sourdoughVegan · Dairy-freeLong-fermented loaf of wheat flour, water, salt and wild starter, with a crackling crust and open, glossy, mildly tangy crumb.
• Whole wheat sourdoughVegan · Dairy-freeSourdough made with a high share of stone-milled whole wheat, giving a denser crumb and a sweet, toasty grain flavor.

Drinks

• Caffè latteVegetarianEspresso with plenty of steamed milk and a thin microfoam layer; mellow and creamy, often finished with latte art and offered with oat or almond milk.
• Flat whiteVegetarianA smaller, stronger cousin of the latte: a double ristretto under silky, barely-foamed milk for a dense texture and pronounced coffee flavor.
• Drip coffeeVeganBatch-brewed house coffee, usually a medium roast kept hot in airpots; straightforward, balanced cup that pairs with nearly anything from the pastry case.
• EspressoVeganA concentrated one- or two-ounce shot pulled under pressure, topped with tawny crema and carrying bittersweet, roasty notes with a short, syrupy finish.
• AmericanoVeganEspresso stretched with hot water into a full-size cup; lighter in body than drip yet keeps the toasty edge of the shot.
• CappuccinoVegetarianEqual-ish parts espresso, steamed milk, and airy foam cap, giving a drier, stronger-tasting drink than a latte with a velvety top layer.