Hamantaschen are little (or great big) triangular-shaped cookies, with a little 'pocket' in the middle, where fruit preserves, chocolate, nuts, etc are filled in. But it's not really the middle that counts--it's the cookie itself. Dense, cakey, crumbly, with hints of lemon and orange...my, my, it's orgasmic. It really is. Hamantaschen are the traditional cookie of the Jewish holiday Purim.
Large and attractive, small and cute, or tiny and messy, hamantaschen are yummy whatever they look like! My favorite fillings are apricot and prune, but you can find raspberry, chocolate, poppyseed (yech!), walnut, and even cream cheese!
My favorite hamantaschen come from a Jewish bakery in Queens, NY, called Beigels (sp??) that our friend Michael works at from time to time. Whenever we visit New York, we always make a mental note to drop by and pick up some (or Michael surprises us with a box). Luckily, Beigels' makes hamantaschen pretty much yearround, so whenever we're in Queens, we're able to stock up.
Unfortunately, the Jewish bakery presence in Lansing is not quite what it is in NYC, so we've been at a loss the last several years in trying to find our favorite cookies. Today, while e-mailing with my friend Mara, I found out that our local food co-op sells them in cooperation with the Jewish deli/bakery out of Ann Arbor, Zingerman's. I popped over to the co-op after work today and (with Adam on the phone) literally cried out in delight as I found ten large cookies left. I bought them all. When I asked Ads if I were being greedy, and should maybe save some for others, he said, "No, they should have gotten there sooner!" I think his Scrooge-ishness was due to the fact that I've already promised to ship him a few of the cookies I bought.
Happy (belated) Purim, everyone! Greg House just tried to nab some hamantaschen out of the cookie jar...I'd better go eat one or two so that he can't get to them.
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