If you, like many American Jews, may not be exactly looking forward to the Yom Kippur fast, you may very well be looking forward to what comes after—the traditional break-fast meal of bagels, schmear, and smoked fish.
Here in the Bay Area, we had very little traditional Jewish deli food until quite recently, with the opening of Boichik Bagels during the pandemic and a new wave of delis like Loveski up in Larkspur.
If you happen to live in a region of the Bay Area with a fantastic deli or bagel store nearby, count yourself lucky. For many in the Bay Area, they effectively live in a “Jewish food desert” where there aren’t any good options around.
If you live in a place that hasn’t yet experienced the new wave of delis and bagel places, a century-old Brooklyn company is ready to help out. Founded in 1906, Acme Fish has been smoking and preserving fish for four generations.
The family-owned company—which still uses its original location in Brooklyn—offers a variety of smoked fish options that are deli quality, but that you can often find at your local grocery store (here in the Bay Area, Safeway carries their fish all around the East Bay and beyond).
Acme Fish sent me some of their salmon and preserved whitefish to try out.
Lots of grocery stores sell smoked salmon, of course. But often they’re generic brands—not the kind of deeply smoky, pleasantly oily fish you might find at a traditional deli.
The smoked salmon from Acme is different. It has a deep and delicious hardwood smoke flavor, and none of the fishy off-flavors that you often find in grocery store salmon.
Despite existing for over a century in pretty much the same form, Acme is trying new things. Alongside the traditional smoked salmon, they sent me a Pastrami flavored version.
The outside is coated in the same spices you might find on a pastrami sandwich.
The pastrami version is much subtler than I expected. Because the pastrami spices are only on the outside, they lend a bit of flavor without overpowering the fish.
Acme also has the classics. Preserved whitefish and other deli standards are included in their grocery store offerings.
As a pro tip, you can grab some of Acme’s fish at Safeway and then use it atop a bagel from Boichik if you live here by the Bay. Boichik sells frozen versions of its bagels in most Bay Area supermarkets, and they’re almost as good as a fresh bagel from the local chain’s stores.
Break-fast, solved in a single Safeway trip!
Tom , why are you highlighting boichick, when its the most expensive bagel out there? As an 80 yr old jew, from Bklyn, there are other choices at far less that are just as good ! Lets give some choices, so as to be transparent!