Visit Noujaim's Middle Eastern Bakery in Waterbury

Noujaim's Middle Eastern Bakery

WATERBURY, CT - I heard Selim Noujaim mention his brother's Waterbury bakery during his most recent appearance with Tom Chute on 1320 WATR. Knowing next to nothing about Middle Eastern food, I headed to the address in my GPS and decided to see what looked good.

The bakery was very easy to find and I was pleased to see that there was a small lot for parking. Mr. Noujaim greeted me as soon as I walked into the small shop.

And everything looked good......I asked the owner if he knew what Selim had brought to the radio station on his last visit; he responded that since his brother stops for things to bring to the radio station so often, he could not be sure.

I decided to try one of the Fatayer/Pies (pictured above) because one type was stuffed with one of my favorite greens, namely spinach. The genial baker put the three spinach pies that I ordered into a bag and warmed up another one for me to taste. It was delicious and I was immediately glad that I had chosen this specialty to take home.

I recognized several types of pita breads and there was another low case filled with small items that I could not identify. Next time, I will try something from this case and perhaps another flavor of the heavenly pies.

This beautiful history of the owner appears on their website.

Fouad Noujaim and his wife Hiam were born and raised in Lebanon, a Middle Eastern country bordered by Israel and Syria. They were married in 1977 and had two daughters, one in 1978, the other in 1985. Toward the end of Spring 1989, Fouad and Hiam decided to visit Cyprus, an island off of the coast of Lebanon, in order to remove their two daughters from the daily battles ensuing around them. After two months in Cyprus, they decided to continue to Connecticut in the United States of America, where Fouad's mother and five brothers resided, before returning to Lebanon for the school year.

However, as the end of the summer approached, Fouad and Hiam realized that returning to Lebanon was still extremely dangerous and decided to enroll their two daughters in school in Connecticut, until it was safer to return to their home. At the time, they thought they would only stay a year.

Once that year had passed, Fouad and Hiam realized that a return to Lebanon was not possible. They needed to start a new life, and as a result, needed to find a new profession. An accountant in Lebanon, Fouad was unsure which type of career to pursue, especially since his Lebanese degree could not be used in the United States. After careful consideration, Fouad and Hiam decided they would open a Middle-Eastern bakery and grocery store.

During the first few years of their business, they encountered many obstacles. Neither had ever experienced the intricate details of running a business, especially when their English language skills were still basic, and Fouad had never been involved with the food industry. Their families, however, rallied around, and each member helped in his or her own way. Some packaged items and stocked shelves, some obtained the proper licenses, while others were involved with marketing. The entire enterprise gave new meaning to the term "family affair."

An absolute perfectionist, Fouad made hundreds of loaves of bread in order to find the best recipe and master the art of baking. Although it was difficult at first, Fouad made certain that his bread, pies, and all other items were tasty and delicious.

Today, more than two decades later, Fouad begins work each morning at 3 a.m., when he starts baking bread. When the bread is finished and ready for delivery, he and Hiam prepare and bake the pies, which vary from spinach and cheese pies to zaatar (oregano) pies. The grocery store itself is open from 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. At that appointed closing time each night, Fouad shuts down the shop, goes home to eat, rest, and spend time with his family before he sleeps for a few hours and begins all over -- eight hours later.

THE MENU

Assorted trays of items above available!

Bread

Large pita bread (12 inch) $2.50

Medium pita bread (8 inch) $2.00

Small pita bread (5 inch)per bag (6 Loaves) $1.50

Medium wheat pita bread (8 inch)per bag (6 Loaves) $2.00

Large wheat pita bread (8 inch) per bag (6 Loaves) $2.50

Fatayer/Pies

Spinach pies $1.25

Spinach & Feta pies $1.25

Broccoli & Feta pies $1.25

Feta cheese pies $1.50

Cheese Pies $1.50

Ham & Cheese pies $1.25

Meat pies (small) $1.00

Meat pies (large) $1.50

Meat pies (8 inch round) $1.75

Zaatar pies (8 inch round) $1.75

Paprika pies (8 inch round) $2.00

Spinach & Feta pies (8 inch round) $2.00

Cheese pies (8 inch round) $2.50

Other

Tabouleh $6.99/lb

Hommous Tahineh $4.99/lb

Baba Ghannouj $6.99/lb

Grape leaves (rice and meat) $9.99/lb

Grape leaves (vegetarian) $9.99/lb

Kibbe balls (small) $2.25

Kibbe balls (large) $1.75

Kibbe trays (small) $30.00

Kibbe trays (large) $80.00

Rice & Chicken (small) $50.00

Rice & Chicken (large) $150.00

Did you know there are a lot of benefits from a Mediterranean diet?

Mediterranean people exhibit low rates of heart disease compared to those in the sU.S. and in other countries. Tests have shown this is a result of their diet.

The Mediterranean diet is famous for its olive oil, beans, vegetables and grains. Also the consumption of yogurt contributes to the area’s health. Low saturated fats are a big plus with Mediterranean diets.

Benefits of of a Mediterranean diet:

• The Mediterranean diet is rich in anti-oxidants (vitamins A, E, C amongst them), which are thought to decrease the rate of oxidation of bad cholesterol (LDL).
• Survey’s have shown that Mediterranean people have the longest life spans on average than the rest of the world.
• The Mediterranean diet has recently been endorsed by the World Health Organization.

The bakery caters for all occasions and ships to anywhere in the United States and Canada.

1650 East Main St.
Waterbury, Ct 06705
(203) 756-0044

This flyer was available at the counter.