Friday, October 17, 2008

Brooklyn Nostalgia: Ruby the Knish Man.

This in from life-long Brooklyn resident, Roy Becker:

Ruby serves a Canarsie local a hot knish outside Tilden H.S. in 1967

Roy gives a little history on the Knish Man:

"Ruby the Knish man was a street vendor who sold his mom's homemade knishes outside the schoolyards of Canarsie throughout the 60s & 70s. Ruby served anyone who could up the quarter. For those who couldn't pay up, Ruby would salt your hand for free! At least broke kids got to enjoy a little taste of something during recess."

Rumor has it that - unlike Roy Becker - Ruby became a very rich man off his schoolyard enterprise and retired to Florida. Becker is still working his butt off and adheres to a habit of salting his hand and licking it off several times each day.

The Pigeon welcomes comments from any of Ruby's former patrons.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

for literally hundreds of stories about ruby, please visit:
http://www.angelfire.com/co/cascole/ruby.html

Anonymous said...

read the blog on Ruby the Knish Man
the Legend...

all who are starving for a taste of Ruby and yesteryear...the next best thing today is the Russian Neighborhood of Brighton
Beach where for .60 cents and up to $1 you can buy from street window stands a almnst similar replica of a knish called a "Ponchick" (phon.spelling) it is the closest thing you will find, Risen dough,greasy and filled with so many filings to choose from. Potato of course, never found kasha which is odd since it is a Russian thing. The cherry and cabbage are fantastic. Sold thru many windows of bakery and food stores on the streets under the EL Train. There are many stands and all are a bit different tasting but similar...you might want to have a taste-off of each. Nostalgic as a quick snack walking along eating from a papeebag which is still done.First time I tasted it, I said, this is like the knishman's knishes. A different style but soo similar. I attended Winthrop and remember the Knishman....Enjoy all you nostalgic knishbuffs...Shelli

Anonymous said...

alright knishes...

does anyone have photos of the Kishka King on Pitkin Avenue

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