Lee Lee's Rugelach Is Keeping Old-School Baking Alive in Harlem

Rugelach is one of the world's most recognizable Jewish pastries. But in NYC, some of the best rugelach is made uptown at Lee Lee's Baked Goods in Harlem, visited in this episode of Food Grails. Tucked away on 118th Street, Lee Lee's proudly offers customers "Rugelach by a Brother"—a tagline concocted by 75-year-old owner Alvin Lee Smalls. With each soft, flakey bite crafted entirely by hand, Smalls considers himself the last of a dying breed: a true pastry master keeping New York's old-school recipes and baking techniques alive.