Thal Brothers’ Epicure Market–Where I learned…
This is the finest gourmet food store on the planet. I know. I cooked there for years. It’s still that good, even though I’m gone.
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Posted on August 6, 2012, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 20 Comments.
Cheffzilla’s Kitchen 
I worked there in the prep both in the rear room where we chopped vegetables endlessly and the long prep table down the hall in about 1984. I was also working in the huge chicken rotisserie room. That room had an inch or so of chicken grease at the end of the day. The one negative thing that stood out in my mind was a day cases of sauce arrived. My job was to take sauce out of the shipped containers and relabel them in Thal Brothers’ “Gourmet Jars”. The problem in my mind was that the label ingredients didn’t match. The Thal Bros. ingredient list was much more high end but the commercial bottles’ ingredients were cheaper and contained preservatives. I pointed this out to the boss but he told me to go ahead and do the work. That’s exactly what I did, resenting my temporary position in life every day I worked there.
I’m truly sorry you had that experience. I left the business in 1977. It wasn’t like that when I was there. When the last of the Thal brothers passed away the business changed. There are only three of us left, two sons of the brothers and one grandson. I left because they were making changes with which I didn’t agree, and left the food business entirely. The story you relate doesn’t surprise me. The managers of the commissary took shortcuts the brothers of which the brothers would not have liked. In the last years before they sold the business it became more about money and reputation than about quality. It was sad to see, in my view. I’m proud of the Epicure and what we built, and was sorry to watch it decline, in quality if not reputation. Thank you for everything you did while you were there.
Any chance you remember how to make epicure dressing? It was the best! That, combined with their tuna, the best tuna in the world, was the more incredible combo ever.
Jeff, are you a member of the Thal family??
Working there was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had!
I’d worked in gourmet/Jewish markets in Philadelphia where I’m originally from) before Epicure and after. Eventually had my own restaurant in South Jersey for 11 years. I LOVE food and I LOVE cooking!
Are you in Lancaster PA now?
Yes I am. Worked there for several years. Ran the commissary and trained as a chef, then trained the eventual chef who was there till the end.
Lucky you! Are you a cousin of Mitchell? I’ve been wondering how he is doing. You’re not in FL anymore?
Yes I am Mitchell’s cousin. I haven’t spoken to him in years. We don’t see eye to eye politically and he said some nasty stuff to me. Do we’ve fallen out of touch.
Wow that really sucks. I’m sorry. Back in the day you guys were a tight family. I hope family will outweigh opinions in the future. It’s been really cool to chat with you! Thanks for your time! My favorite thing at Epicure was the ruguleah. 😀
And I’m in Lancaster, PA.
hello! The epicure market was such a huge memory for my family growing up in Miami, especially my mother, grandparents and great grandparents. I was lucky enough as a kid to share some of these. In recent years it’s all my grandpa have been able to talk about and I’ve been trying to see if I could find a family member to talk to for many years, the leaf cookies were a monumental memory in my family and It would mean the world to be able to learn their recipe for my grandparents, my instagram is @_just_madeline_
my email is mtmccabe01@gmail.com
Hi Madeline. I’m Jeff Thal, the next generation of Thals. I believe I’m the last living next-gen Thal (there’s a grandson still alive, too) who worked in the store. I’m sorry I can’t share with you bakery recipes, I worked exclusively in the kitchen, both as a sous chef and a manager. The bakery was in a whole different building on the block, and was staffed by a different group. My cousin Harry, who recently passed, was more connected to the bakery, while I was totally involved in the cooked-foods production. I believe the leaf cookies were made from a basic sugar-cookie recipe, but with brown sugar instead of white sugar. And dipped in chocolate, if I remember correctly. It’s been a long time for me. I left the business in 1978. Thanks for being loyal to us. It was a wonderful ride.
one thing that I’ve been going crazy looking for is Epicure tuna salad. I have never been able to eat a tuna salad like the one they made. By any chance do you have the recipe?
Hi Eva. Thank you for asking. The core of the recipe was based on four ingredients: Kraft mayo, small amounts of onion and celery, processed ultra fine (with a food processor) and a particularly brand of pickle relish (Sexton—a commercial purveyor), plus salt and pepper.
Epicure market is truly missed in Miami Beach. I would highly appreciate some recipes if available. Specifically the Challah Bread ( they had the regular loaf and small “knots”), the turkey meatballs , angel hair salad and chicken salad from the deli. Also they had a spicy dip and their tiramisu was amazing. If anybody knows someone who worked there and would share recipes or may know where to buy simular items, would be greatly appreciated.
Does anyone have the Epicure dressing recipe??
Hi Fern. Thanks for the note. I can’t give you the exact recipe; the dressing–all the salad dressings–were not made in the main kitchen, but rather a small pantry kitchen populated by six Spanish-speaking Cuban women who kept their stuff secret. What I can tell you is that the dressing ingredients included mayo, EVOO, Sriracha, egg, onion, pickle relish, and a spice blend called Alamo, which was custom made for Epicure by the commercial vendor Sexton. I know the spice blend included salt, white pepper, Cayenne, paprika, ground thyme, and sumac.
and NO ketchup??? Is eco extra virgin olive oil??
No ketchup. And yes, EVOO is extra-virgin olive oil.
Jeff you mention egg in epicure dressing. I that raw egg?
is that raw egg ?(typo above)