Fingerhut Bakery

i've been reading, on savethedeli.com, about the revival of the fingerhut bakery, supposedly famous since 1895. i've never heard of it though i grew up in chicagoland. their new website states that they will be a mail order bakery. their 2 lb. rye bread, one of their classic items is going to cost $12.95!! that seems really, really high. does anyone remember fingerhut?? and have an opinion about the quality of their products? thanks, justjoan

I remember having dinners at relative's house in Berwyn in the late 50's-early 60's, and Fingerhut was at that time considered the fancier bakery stuff. I remembering thinking it was pretty good, buttery, rich and...fancy. That was a long time ago, and I've driven by Fingerhut's many times, though I had no idea it was out of commission.

It seems odd that they don't have a store someplace. David, where was the original Fingerhut bakery located?

Cogito wrote:It seems odd that they don't have a store someplace. David, where was the original Fingerhut bakery located?

It seems like the Fingerhuts are maybe leveraging their name and producing goods in some non-retail rented kitchen space in hopes of selling their stuff thru brick-and-mortar establishments (e.g., Dominick's?, which has their own bakeshop, I know, but could offer Fingerhut stuff as specialty items).

As I recall, the original Fingerhut Bakery was on Cermak maybe between Austin and Cicero.

I swear I think that for special treats, my mom would go to Fingerhut and get poppyseed horns, like Saturday or Sunday mornings.
Does anyone know if they used to have white bags (waxy, maybe?) with dots all over the front?
This would be late 70s, early 80s, and I grew up in Westchester. Could that be feasible?

2 of my Sisters-in-law worked at the Fingerhut Bakery in Cicero. It was located one store in from the SE corner of Cermak and Central and is now a Mexican Bakery. They always brought home the fresh breads and other goodies for the Holiday Celebrations.

Apparently, Herb Fingerhut's son read this thread and called his dad, who was kind enough to call me and provide some details. According to Herb, the Fingerhuts are working out of Kaufman's in Skokie, and they're also doing a good online biz. Given the recent radical increase in flour prices*, their internet price for the rye is $12.95 (plus shipping), but if you want to make the trip to Skokie, it's only $6.95

Herb has been working as a consultant for some big name bakeries like Red Hen and LaBriole, and he is eager to carry on the family tradition. I intend to stop by next time I'm in Skokie.

Hammond

* According to Herb, in the past few months, prices for the flour they use, and of the quality they demand, have more than tripled.

Hi,

Are they sharing baking quarters with Kaufman's like Patrick Chaubert uses Berutti's kitchen?

Last July, I noticed a creative spark at Kaufman's from amusing signage, a Reuben sandwich option as well as moon pies (their cookies with frosting in the middle). When I inquired if someone had retired, I was told a lot of the ideas came from the baker. Could this be the Fingerhut's influence or someone else?

Regards,

I decided to write today and give a short history on Fingerhut Bakery.

Frank Fingerhut came to America in 1894 from Czechoslovakia. In 1895, he opened with his wife (and I still remember her at the old peoples home in Berwyn near McNeal) the first Fingerhut Home Bakery where besides selling ethnic goods he made Babi Rye as well as other baked goods he had made in the old country.

In about 1915/18 his son Charles Fingerhut purchased the land on Cermak and Central and built what was for over 82 years, Charles Fingerhut Bakery. I have some great pictures of the FIRST Fingerhut Home Bakery (located on 18th & May in Chicago) as well as pics of the Cicero store (5535/37Cermak) from 80-90 years ago!!! I am in the process of having them put online (on the website within a month).

I, more than anyone would love to have a retail store, but all good things must take time, I am planning to open in 2010. Until then, I am baking out of the Kaufman/Imperial Bakery's retail store in Skokie. As much as that great family has helped me once again establish my bakery, I too am having fun bringing a new spark to their bakery with my creations!
It is a match made in heaven.

Oh, by the way.... I have also been writting a Bio/Cook book on myself growing up as a bakery brat as well as adding over 100 recipes of products made at Charles FIngerhut Bakery up to the day it closed!
Including Houska, Kolacky, Poppyseed Ring, Danish Coffee Cakes and many many more items!

I hope that everyone reading this realizes that I, as the past 6 generations before me live and breath the bakery business! My son,
who I sheltered from working at the bakery must have it in his blood
also, because he is the main reason Fingerhut Bakery is back!

Respectfully,
Herb Fingerhut
7th Generation Master Baker

... after all it takes a baker! ~ Charles Fingerhut (1929)

Herb wrote:I too am having fun bringing a new spark to their bakery with my creations!

Once I heard you were using their bakery, I had a hunch you were the spark behind the new innovations I had observed there!

Once you have your book in order, or before, I would love to have you present your family's history for a Chicago Foodways Roundtable meeting someday soon.

Keep us posted on your progress as things evolve.

Regards,

thanks so much, mr. fingerhut, for sharing a little of your family's story. i look forward to your cookbook and to trying some of your baked goods at kaufmans. justjoan

Hey I have been searching for the Fingerhut bakery for years. My mom would take us there occasionally but my fondest memory is a cake made there, we would get it for my birthday. It was a white or yellow cake with strawberries and bananas and a pudding or something. My mom passed two years ago and I would love to know if anyone knows what this cake is called?

Marlarb74 wrote:Hey I have been searching for the Fingerhut bakery for years. My mom would take us there occasionally but my fondest memory is a cake made there, we would get it for my birthday. It was a white or yellow cake with strawberries and bananas and a pudding or something. My mom passed two years ago and I would love to know if anyone knows what this cake is called?

I just saw this article today - wait, did I get it elsewhere on LTH? - at any rate, is this what you're looking for?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/fo ... story.html

Thank you a million times over. I'm literally crying cuz you just gave me a priceless gift! A big piece of my childhood and a very fond memory I have with my mom!

A dedicated thread can be found here: Atomic Cake.

I don't know how close in appearance it is to Fingerhut's, but here's one at Calumet Bakery (2510 E 106th), one of the longtime providers of the South Side specialty.

Marlarb74 wrote:Thank you a million times over. I'm literally crying cuz you just gave me a priceless gift! A big piece of my childhood and a very fond memory I have with my mom!

Awesome, so glad I could help! It was a happy coincidence that I saw the article and read your post on the same day. I'm preparing to give birth in a couple weeks and told my husband he should have one lined up when I get home from the hospital. I've never had one, but they look amazing.

I have eaten an Atomic cake from Webers. YUM! It was a special occasion cake brought to work. It did not last ten minutes. I still dream about it and I am not a fan of cake.