Grossinger’s Rye Bread Inspires New Product Line and TV Series

Nostalgic Flavors Meet Modern Media in Borscht Belt Revival

A new wave of nostalgia for the legendary Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel is being fueled by a product tie-in featuring its iconic rye bread, alongside a forthcoming scripted television series. This initiative aims to recapture the magic of the famed Borscht Belt retreat for both former guests and new audiences.

Culinary Legacy Reimagined

The creator of the TV show, titled “The Mountains,” is collaborating with the kosher food company Streit’s to introduce a cracker version of the hotel’s renowned rye bread. Producer **Harris Salomon** and **Mike Dalewitz**, president of Borscht Belt Delicatessen, are spearheading the launch of the “Grossinger’s Rye Cracker Board.” This product is described as “a light, flavorful, and healthy take on a traditional classic,” directly inspired by the beloved recipe of **Jennie Grossinger**.

“A generation of people who went to Grossinger’s — they remember the foods, from the Grossinger recipe book, from the hotel recipes,” Salomon told the New York Jewish Week. “And hopefully there’ll be other products coming out later that also reflect the recipes, the legacy of the taste of food at Grossinger’s.”

—Harris Salomon, Producer

Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel, a post-World War II landmark, famously served as the inspiration for the 1987 film “Dirty Dancing.” At its zenith, the resort attracted approximately 150,000 visitors annually, boasting extensive amenities and a significant Jewish cultural presence.

From Resort Fame to Pop Culture Icon

The resort was a launching pad for many Jewish comedians and entertainers, including **Mel Brooks**, **Jackie Mason**, and **Joan Rivers**. Actor and singer **Eddie Fisher**’s career notably began at Grossinger’s, where he was reportedly discovered by **Eddie Cantor**.

Beyond its entertainment, Grossinger’s was celebrated for its cuisine. While **Jennie Grossinger**’s rye bread recipe wasn’t initially in her 1958 cookbook, it gained immense popularity as Grossinger’s Country Club Rye Bread, entering mass production in 1954. It marked a significant milestone as the first kosher rye bread baked under rabbinical supervision by a major company, as noted by The New York Times.

The introduction of the Grossinger’s Rye Cracker Board is intended to reach a wider demographic, extending beyond regular purchasers of kosher products. This move is part of a broader effort to “rebrand” the Catskills experience, according to Salomon.

A New TV Series Taps into Untold Stories

The Grossinger’s television series, tentatively titled “The Mountains,” is being produced by **Harris Salomon** and **Alan Zwiebel**, a writer from the early days of “Saturday Night Live.” The show promises to explore “the untold, multigenerational story of **Jennie** and **Elaine Grossinger**, the formidable matriarchs who transformed a humble Catskills boarding house into an empire of leisure, elegance, and resistance.”

Salomon acquired the rights to the Grossinger family narrative in 2019, inspired by the success of shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” which prominently featured a Borscht Belt resort.

“The way they created that whole patina of the Upper West Side in the 1950s and 60s was just so beautiful,” Salomon said of the hit Prime Video series. “It was bringing back a part of not only Jewish New York, but bringing back a part of New York that was genuinely lost, and it was so rich. I mean, even though I didn’t live it, I had heard about it, and I think it was a part of the folklore, if you will, of all New Yorkers. And I wanted to do the same thing with the Catskills.”

—Harris Salomon

Although Salomon grew up in Westchester and did not experience Grossinger’s firsthand before its closure in 1986, he finds the lost world fascinating. He anticipates “The Mountains” will debut sometime in 2026.

The Grossinger’s Rye Cracker Board is set to debut this weekend at the third annual Borscht Belt Festival in Ellenville, New York. It will also be available for purchase online, with plans for wider retail distribution in the New York metropolitan area by September.

Dalewitz‘s company, Grossinger’s Foods, intends to release a complete line of Streit’s-branded kosher foods, potentially including applesauce and wine, further expanding the brand’s reach.

“This brand is about food, but also about family, legacy, and laughter,” **Dalewitz** stated. “We’re making something you’ll love whether you remember the Catskills or are just discovering them.”