One of the advantages of being on the Newark Fire Department is getting to know the assorted restaurants and bakeries in the city. Of course, back in the day (I guess I can say that now that “the day” is more than 40 years ago), Vailsburg had the Royal (owned by my grandmother’s cousin) and Silver Crest. Both were German bakeries. If you wanted Italian bread in Vailsburg you went to East Orange Bakery. These have closed their doors long ago, but every neighborhood had their own bakery. Italian in North Newark. Portuguese Down Neck. Very few of these businesses have survived to the present. There is one still with us. Calandra’s. I had never heard of it until getting on the job, but all the folks from North Newark know it well. Over the years, it has become a family favorite, so when I make it up to Newark it is a required stop. The Christmas cookies shown in this post were picked up at Calandra’s after having my yearbook photo taken. Can’t waste a trip to Newark. 

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!