The Bakery That Goes Against the Grain

Shabtai Gourmet Passover specialties produced by Cinderella Sweets are an exciting line of premium kosher for Passover cakes and cookies.

Based in Woodmere, NY, the Cinderella Sweets company was established by Cindy Itzkowitz who has been involved in the baking business for over 20 years. Itzkowitz has introduced a fresh new approach to Passover cake production and marketing, working with the Passover challenge that severely limits and restricts the type of baking ingredients.

Itzkowitz's bakery is a six-day a week operation, as Cindy personally works up to 18 hours a day during the final stretch before Passover. "Our dedicated staff works in shifts around the clock, baking 24 hours a day to meet the big demand," she said.

"Basically, all bakers have the same ingredients available to them, and they all use very similar recipes," she said. "But very few bakers have the creativity, patience, and talent to transform an ordinary pound of ingredients into an exquisitely crafted pound of scrumptious cake."

Cindy's bakery has grown into a 15,000 square foot baking complex, but it hasn't lost her personal touch. That's Cindy's secret of success.

"Fortunately, we know what it takes to bring small bakery quality control into mass production. We really love what we do here, and we do it with a full heart," says Cindy.

Shabtai's strict control level assures the highest quality and satisfaction. All ingredients must first go through a caref Shabtai_logoGRAY ul examination for taste, aroma, and freshness before, to insure proper baking time and minimum moisture loss. Scrutinizing their products to the very end, the packaging line is monitored very closely to reject any imperfections.

The high level of the food quality at Cindy's complex is matched by her choice of Kosher certification. Shabtai Gourmet is certified kosher for Passover by the OK Kosher Certification, the most reliable and trustworthy Kosher supervising agency. Among the world's leading kosher authorities, the OK symbol is a reputable and familiar guarantee to satisfy the most discriminating consumer.

Shabtai's also offers some "Chalav Yisroel" cheese cakes, and will also design custom signature desserts and sugar free specialties upon request.

Most of their 33 retail packaged products are 'non-gebruks,' meaning that they contain absolutely no matzah meal. Only certain dedicated equipment and production runs are used for several "gebruks" items, including hot dog buns and hamburger rolls that are Kosher for Passover, catering to the needs of nursing homes and health facilities.

Cindy is a great believer in tradition and family, using recipes that she originally learned from her mother Selma Fern. Shabtai_1

Selma Fern was famous for her carrot cakes, and compiled a recipe book for the Jewish Educational Center in Elizabeth, NJ. Her popular "Aunt Lillian" cake comes from a recipe Cindy got from great aunt Lillian, whose husband was the founder of the Wakefern corporation which was the operating and distributing company of the original Shoprite supermarket chain.

Cindy also expresses her thanks and appreciation to the Woodmere Jewish community for helping her launch her bakery, and for helping it grow to worldwide fame.

This year, Cindy has introduced a chocolate mushroom soufle "that's great warm or cold." Itzkowitz predicts that the raspberry and apricot rolls, the Bonbons, the Devintown Railroad layer cake, and classics like her honey cake and rainbow cookies will be her top sellers. A personal favorite is the meltaway crumb with pecan and chocolate that seems to be an early favorite of test samplers.

At the Kosherfest Exposition, Shabtai Gourmet entered their "Ring Tings" in the new product competition, and was awarded first prize for their Passover version of a famous all-American snack cake. The award was based on "innovation, originality, creativity and taste." This coming year, Itzkowitz Shabtai_2_Tznius plans to enter another new product in the competition, which Cindy feels confident that it will surprise and amaze the kosher marketplace.

GLOBAL APPEAL
Besides being president of the company, the upbeat Cindy also heads the sales department. "It's a great combination of service and food quality," Itzkowitz said. "We get our deliveries there on time and we are full service to our customers 24 hours a day."

Itzkowitz' impressive client list boast retailers including metropolitan supermarkets Key Food, Foodtown, Shop-Rite, Stop 'N Shop, and independent grocers. Customers range from the New York metropolitan area to Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles, South Florida and Texas.

Besides selling Kosher for Passover cakes at the retail level, Shabtai Gourmet also sends trailer loads to institutions, hotels, nursing homes and many Passover tours all around the world. "We ship frozen containers of our baked specialties to Passover tours in Florida, the Caribbean and Portugal," said Itzkowitz.

Additionally, Itzkowitz opens a retail store two weeks for the peak business during the Passover rush right before the holiday, where local customers can choose from over 200 varieties of fresh baked goods, including blueberry crumb and chocolate fudge sheet cakes.

For further information on the location of Shabtai's pre Passover outlet, or to obtain a full list of cakes products, call 516 374 7976, or fax 516 374 7787.

Above: Cindy Itzkowitz and her daughter Stephanie display their wares at a trade show. A true family business, Cindy's son Andrew is in charge of the office while Devin, age 4, helps label packages.

Itzkowitz proudly displays her Best New Product award at the Kosherfest Expo.

SHABTAI GOURMET IS CERTIFIED KOSHER FOR PASSOVERBY OK KOSHER CERTIFICATION, THE MOST RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY KOSHER SUPERVISING AGENCY. AMONG THE WORLD'S LEADING KOSHER AUTHORITIES,THE OK SYMBOL IS A REPUTABLE AND FAMILIAR GUARANTEETO SATISFY THE MOST DISCRIMINATING CONSUMER.