Welcome to Tina’s Kitchen
Dear Friends,
Hamantashen, Groggers, wine, Haman… “Three of these things belong together, one of these things is not quite the same…” As the song goes three do belong together because they represent the happy, festive side of Purim, the Jewish holiday celebrating the triumph of one heroine, Queen Esther, over a villain, Haman, who swore to annihilate the Jews in Persia over 2,000 years ago. The reading of the story of Purim is surrounded by festivity. Children wear costumes depicting their favorite hero, during the reading of the story every time Haman’s name is said it is drowned out by the whirring of noisemakers or groggers. Purim is also the only holiday when inebriation is permitted.
The icon of the holiday is the Hamantashen, or Haman’s Pockets or Hat. These triangular filled cookies can be found in all bakeries year round but the symbolism for Jews at Purim is meaningful. Originally filled with poppy seeds, the custom to fill them with prunes dates to the early 18th century when a Bavarian Jewish plum merchant was acquitted of poisoning a man at the time of the Purim celebration. the Jewish community put prune filling (lekvar) in the hamantashen to celebrate his release and the custom of prune filled hamantashen began.
Sephardim eat palmiers, sugar coated puff pastry disks that look like Haman’s ears. And Dutch, German and Alsatian Jews eat gingerbread men chomping off the head first to symbolize the execution of Haman.
Whatever part of Haman’s body you choose to replicate, I hope your treats are delicious and the holiday is enjoyable.
Here’s a little lesson on how to shape the traditional Hamantashen, but check out other recipes in my files as well.
Passover is coming up. If you don’t have your own copy of my book Entree to Judaism, head over to your nearest bookstore or Neiman Marcus and get it. I promise you that it will make your Passover easier and more delicious. Really!
The best part about writing the book is the opportunity it has given me to visit so many wonderful parts of the country and meet the nicest people one could ever hope to meet. Please see the list below and come and meet me if you are in the area.
Here’s where I will be speaking in the next two months:
- March 2: Staunton, VA, Temple House of Israel
- March 3: Richmond, VA, Weinstein JCC
- March 9: Chicago, IL, Congregation Beth Shalom
- March 10: Northbrook, IL, Neiman Marcus Book Signing
- March 18: Dallas, TX, Tycher Library, Aaron JCC
- March 24: Dallas, TX, Chabad Lecture and Demonstration
- March 25: Dallas, TX, Neiman Marcus, North Park Book Signing
I am still available for speaking engagements and classes in your hometown for 2010-2011 so contact me if you would like to discuss some options for your organization.
If I’m not coming to you then listen to my appearance on local NPR station KERA to hear me talk about the history and stories in Entre’e to Judaism.
Eat in Good Health!
Tina
