Hamantaschen
Today is Purim, a Jewish holiday based on the Bibilical story of Queen Esther.
The mood of our celebration is similar to Mardi Gras, involving costumes, pageantry, and lots of eating and drinking. It is said that you should drink wine until you can't tell the difference between Haman (the villain) and Mordechi (the hero).
One of the foods associated with Purim is hamantaschen ("Haman's pockets"). A hamatasch is a cookie. Traditionally the filling was made from prunes or poppy seeds, but nowadays you'll also find them in apricot, raspberry, and even chocolate. the other day a friend posted a recipe for unicorn hamantaschen, decorated with sprinkles, marshmallows and cotton candy; I just don't think I'm ready for a unicorn hamantasch.
Here's the raspberry hamatasch I picked up at the deli the other day.
Now, when you make hamantschen at home, you make them more or less the same size as any other cookie.
But when you buy them in the deli or the bakery, they're huge.
That's not a cookie, it's a COOKIE.
For comparison's sake, two "king sized" Oreos:
Excuse me while I indulge...or overindulge, as hte case may be ...
The mood of our celebration is similar to Mardi Gras, involving costumes, pageantry, and lots of eating and drinking. It is said that you should drink wine until you can't tell the difference between Haman (the villain) and Mordechi (the hero).
One of the foods associated with Purim is hamantaschen ("Haman's pockets"). A hamatasch is a cookie. Traditionally the filling was made from prunes or poppy seeds, but nowadays you'll also find them in apricot, raspberry, and even chocolate. the other day a friend posted a recipe for unicorn hamantaschen, decorated with sprinkles, marshmallows and cotton candy; I just don't think I'm ready for a unicorn hamantasch.
Here's the raspberry hamatasch I picked up at the deli the other day.
Now, when you make hamantschen at home, you make them more or less the same size as any other cookie.
But when you buy them in the deli or the bakery, they're huge.
For comparison's sake, two "king sized" Oreos:
Excuse me while I indulge...or overindulge, as hte case may be ...
I have very bad teeth. I am grateful to the two dentists I had throughout most of my adulthood for saving my them. About 40 years ago, I confided to one, "The neighbor's kids were selling Purim candy and I bought some." "Fine," he said, "Just don't eat it." (Of course I ignored his advice. :-) )
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how the holidays of different traditions kind of coincide at different times of the year. I think that's deliberate.
ReplyDeleteNow, that there is a cookie!
ReplyDeleteI used to make hamantaschen (my spell check keeps wanting to change this into "enchantments"...hmmm.) in my teenaged years. I can get them in one local supermarket but we don't have a huge Jewish population here. I have seen all the gourmet recipes. Not much into baking this year but maybe next. Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteNot sure where I would pick up such a cookie. I guess I would have to make them.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on