July 5, 2001

Contact: Charles Sturcken (718/595-6568)

New York City Water Essential Ingredient For Bagel & Pickle Makers At Smithsonian Folklife Festival

When Steve Ross of the Coney Island Bialy and Bagel Bakery was invited to participate in the Smithsonian Institute's 2001 Folklife Festival, he brought 36 gallons of New York City drinking water with him to ensure that his bialys and bagels would be the perfect examples of these New York specialties. When the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) heard that Mr. Ross was running low, because he had "loaned" some to the pickle and herring purveyors, Russ & Daughters, DEP air lifted another 20 gallons to the Festival on Friday morning.

Members of the media are invited to visit the Folklife Festival, which is highlighting a wide variety of New York City life and society, and to sample Mr. Ross's superb bialys and bagels.