When our friends at GrowNYC approached us to tell a Greenmarket story as part of their 40th anniversary celebration, we knew we had to talk about m’smen.
Our relationship with GrowNYC has supported Hot Bread Kitchen’s growth. When founder Jessamyn Rodriguez launched Hot Bread Kitchen out of her home, she sold bread in local community markets and in 2010, secured a coveted spot on Wednesdays at Union Square. We now have a presence in up to 13 NYC Greenmarkets, depending on the season.
One of our most popular items, Moroccan m’smen, is based on a recipe introduced by one of the Moroccan women in our training program. On a snowy night before its market debut, the bakers mixed 600 pieces. They couldn’t believe there would be such a demand for a bread they’d grown up eating but never seen sold in New York. The next day, long lines formed for the novel flatbread and they sold out by 1 p.m.
We now make the traditional version as well as a Greenmarket exclusive, stuffed with locally grown kale, cheddar and onion. Buttery, flaky, and delicious, this customer favorite (it’s one of our bestselling breads) only has one problem: people can’t seem to figure out how to pronounce it. We created this video to show you how!
