New York Deli

For about the last 80 years, my husband's family, and now our family, has celebrated Christmas

Eve with kosher food from the Kansas City New York Deli and Bakery. Sadly, this year we will

not be able to continue in this tradition. Earlier this year, the bakery closed its doors after being in business since 1909.

When Jim was a toddler, he and his grandfather, Cecil, would make the trip from Oakley Avenue to Troost every Christmas Eve to purchase the wide array of Jewish delicacies including corned beef, pepper beef, knot rolls, bagels and salt sticks. When Jim's mother took over the task of buying the food, she would start out early in the morning so she could be sure of the availability of the items they craved. After the deli, she would head to Andres to purchase pastries for Christmas morning. It may have occurred to Betty to place an advanced order for all the necessities, but that would have taken the thrill of the hunt. There was

always that possibility that the one thing you really wanted would be sold out. When I took

over the task, I always pre-ordered. I get my thrills from making sure what I need is

available. My daughters accompanied Betty and I on the bakery run when they were babies.

When the Christmas Eve feast fell into my responsibility, the girls and I added a quick lunch,

which usually involved sharing bagels and lox before leaving the deli. At the turn of the

Century (I love saying that), Sally's husband John, and then their son, also came along on the

kosher run. I did not follow the tradition of going to Andre's but we did purchase almond

rolls at the deli for the next morning.

Sadly, it appears that Christmas 2008 marked the end of this long Puckett tradition. During

the Spring of 2009, New York bakery closed its doors for the final time. Many things

were compounded to cause this decision to close. It seems true pumpernickel flour was no

longer being made. The man who was the owner's right hand man had a stroke and was no

longer available to do the bulk of the work. And it seems that the bakery would have to

make thousands of dollars worth of repairs to come up to "modern" standards. At that

point the owner decided he would rather close than cope with all the changes that would

produce less-than-perfect results.

A world that no longer contains salt sticks is gray indeed.