Straight off the boat from Poland, Joel Russ began hawking herring out of a barrel on the Lower East Side. Over the next seven years, he graduated to a pushcart, then to a horse and wagon and, finally, to his own store. Against all odds, 100 years — and four generations — later, the Russ family still sells herring, along with lox and bagels, sturgeon, babka and chicken soup. Russ & Daughters stands as a thriving torchbearer of Jewish food in America.
Now, the latest owners, Niki Russ Federman and Josh Russ Tupper, share their family’s iconic recipes in the delightful 100 Years of Appetizing. You no longer have to wait in line for one of Russ & Daughters’ signature sandwiches or their potato latkes with salmon roe. You can set yourself up in the kitchen and replicate the dishes that have kept hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and tourists coming back for more.
Josh and Niki join us to talk not only about their food but about the rich history of the historic eatery: How the addition of “& Daughters” broke the American mold; the characters on both sides of the counter; and how Russ & Daughters defied all odds to remain in business for more than a century.
In conversation with James Beard Award–winning food journalist Gabriella Gershenson. Gabriella is an editor at The New York Times, Wirecutter, and was previously on staff at Saveur, Rachael Ray Every Day, and Time Out New York magazines. She was also a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal. Gabriella has worked on several books, including the James Beard Award winning Love Japan (Ten Speed), The 100 Most Jewish Foods (Artisan), and the IACP award winner On the Hummus Route (Magica).