This week, days before the anniversary celebration, Slamka was in the back kitchen as usual rolling out dough for fried danish doughnuts.
“I love to bake,” she said. “It is what I love.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Years before she owned the bakery, Slamka said she would walk by with her young daughters, Monica, Elizabeth and Cristina, and say, “one day this business is going to be mine.”
The 78-year-old native of Colombia came to the country at 17. She aspired to be a chef, but that never came to fruition.
She got on-the-job training for commercial baking 40 years ago, when the Slamkas took over Central Pastry from a baker who showed her the techniques and sometimes slapped her hands at a mistake.
“I had been baking at home, but here is where I learned,” Slamka said. “When I took over we had a tremendous baker. He didn’t let me write anything down, so I watched him like a hawk.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
The bakery was on the 1400 block of Central Avenue in 1949 before it moved to its location at 1518 Central Ave., according to Slamka.
The shop has an old-school feel, with some of the original wood-and-glass display cases and paper order forms hanging ready to be filled. It is traditional, and a distinct aroma greets customers as they walk through the door.
Health issues in recent months has prevented John Slamka, 81, from being active in the operation, but Vera said he took care of the business end and baking was her domain.
It worked well, she said. The couple has been married for 50 years.
In her youth, Slamka was a runner, bowler and racquetball player. She said she was “lean and mean” and could lift 30- and 40-pound bags of flour and sugar. She says she can still work for hours, hefting trays of goodies and expertly rolling endless amounts of dough.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
But it is her staff that makes everything possible, she says. For the past 12 years, her son-in-law, Devoll, has been by her side as a chief baker. Everything, icing to batter is still made from scratch even the roses on wedding cakes have a Central Pastry look.
“It has been amazing. I have to say I have the best employees ever. Without them I would not have been able to do any of this,” she said. The shop employs six full-time and about six part-time employees.
Slamka is a hard worker and instills the same work ethic in employees, but don’t think the shop isn’t about some fun too. After all, everyone is happy feasting on cakes and cookies, and the shop owner is known to break out in dance with her young employees when the right song comes on.
She dances around the kitchen to Elvis tunes and even jazz, her employees say.
“I am a people person,” Slamka said. “I like to make people happy. Makes me happy to see you happy.”
Slamka said she is also thankful to the loyalty of Middletown customers and those that have grown to include the region. She loves to serve second- and third-generation customers.
She said she is a person of faith and is praying the right person will come along to continue the tradition of Central Pastry.
“This has been a blessing, really amazing. It is possible with hard work and when you have faith,” Slamka said. “(I am) praying to God: ‘This is yours, find somebody to carry on the legacy.’ I will know the right person.”
About the Author
