278 replies to this topic

[redfox]

I am having an enormous craving for superb hamentaschen, and don't want to make my own. Where should I go to buy the best?

[Mark Sommelier]

I'd sure like to know the answer to this also. Even as an ex-Jew, I still have cravings for good prune Hamentaschen. Hate the poppy seed ones, though.

[porkpa]

Mark,
How does one become an ex-Jew? Is it like renouncing one's citizenship?
Porkpa

[hillvalley]

Krupin's on Wisconsin sells them.

I don't know if they are any good though

[LARRY WIENER]

To quote Kipling, "The best is like the worst." After too many years of sampling them in this area, we have concluded that you can't get good ones. What there are are doughy with thick dry outsides and insides that aren't worth writing home about. My wife makes her own and sends some to our daughter's family; we eat the rest.

[morela]

Mark,
How does one become an ex-Jew? Is it like renouncing one's citizenship?
Porkpa

I imagine The Simpson's influenced him. He saw how great the Christmases in Springfield could be and was oddly inspired by the story of Santa's Little Helper.


REMEMBER THAT ONE:
"Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"
101 7G08
Original Airdate: 12/17/89

Christmas is nearly ruined when Marge has to spend all of the family's gift money to remove Bart's tattoo. Homer becomes a department store Santa to raise more cash, but bets it all at the dog races on a hot tip from Barney. Homer and Bart save Christmas by adopting the losing greyhound, Santa's Little Helper.

[redfox]

To quote Kipling, "The best is like the worst." After too many years of sampling them in this area, we have concluded that you can't get good ones. What there are are doughy with thick dry outsides and insides that aren't worth writing home about.

Sad, but kind of what I was expecting. I grew up in a nice Jewish neighborhood with several good bakeries and never quite get over the fact that you don't find that kind of food everywhere.

[Malawry]

Try to find a bakery that makes hamentaschen which are not pareve. Those are the best, especially if the dough is made with cream cheese. I think Amernick made them once a couple years ago, so you can try calling them. I recommend avoiding the ones from Katz's in Rockville or Shalom Kosher in Wheaton since they share the pareve problem.

[butterfly]

Heller's Bakery in Mount Pleasant has a pretty good hammentaschen. They are of the crumbly cookie variety, as opposed to the yeasty variety (which I have yet to see in DC).

[babka]

dean & deluca's has 'em.
didn't try 'em, don't know 'em.

[eljo]

Full WASP Disclosure: The first time I ever had hamentaschen was about 2 years ago (or if I did before that I probably just thought they were cute little danish).

I have since tried the version at Pastries by Randolph on Lee highway in Arlington, next to Arrowine, and thought they were quite tasty. They definitely had prune, apricot, and maybe other fillings as I recall. Authentic? Dunno.

[DonRocks]

ALERT, ALERT! Amernick's bakery is selling them today, and they are great, but this will be the last day they have them. Get over there this afternoon!

[bx23$qa]

I haven't tried the ones at Amernick's, but I will tell you where I get my hamentaschen, but being non-Jew, you may have to take my suggestion with caution. My personal favorite hamentaschen are made at the Potomac Village Deli in the strip mall on River Road and Great Falls Road (not the strip mall with the Safeway, but on the other side of Great Falls Road).

I can't say how true these hamentaschen are to Jewish tradition, but I think they're amazing. The deli has available prune, poppy, and apricot. The crust is thick and buttery. No surprises with the prune and apricot filling (that's not a criticism), but the poppy is totally unexpected--it's not just ground poppy cooked down with sugar but something else too. Almond? Not sure. But it tastes amazing. I'll warn you that these are not cute little cookies that one delicately eats. They are big, fat commitments, where one alone is enough to fill someone up. But, really, don't stop there. I recommend some of the other pastries at the deli--specifically, the Rebar, which is a long rectangle of chocolate cake topped with pastry cream, dipped in chocolate, then with white chocolate drizzled on top. This sweet is my personal favorite at the deli, but it's not for the faint of heart. Other swwets include halva, eclairs, wrapped sweetbreads, etc, but none of them come close to the hamentaschen and rebar.

While I'm on the topic of the deli, and since I haven't seen anyone bring it up, the deli counter is good, but I only make special trips to the deli for the roast beef (it's prepared rare and cut so thin you can almost spread it on bread with a knife) and the pastrami (spicy but not too much so).

There's also a dining room. Naturally the reuben is worth mentioning as it's perhaps the best I've had in DC. The smoked/cured fish plate with bagels is fun (for a former Christian with no ties to bagels), but everything else is pretty standard and not worth a special trip.

[redfox]

Thanks for all the suggestions. In the end, this week wound up being way too hectic to let me go off my beaten track to investigate any bakeries at all, and this afternoon I made a batch for myself. What an ungrateful egulleteer I am! Clearly my duty was to try out ALL your suggestions and report back, and here instead I have done none.

Well, at least I will know for next year. And I have a lot of good baked goods of other sorts to track down in the meantime, clearly. Thanks again!

Edited by redfox, 06 March 2004 - 06:28 PM.

[Jason Perlow]

Mark,
How does one become an ex-Jew? Is it like renouncing one's citizenship?
Porkpa

Its not like they can tape that little bit of skin back on, either! Once you cut if off, you cant put it back!

[butterfly]

I just got some poppyseed streudel from the pastry case at the deli So's Your Mom (Columbia Rd--Adams Morgan). I noticed that they also had poppyseed hammentaschen that looked pretty good. As I remember, they get their pastries from a bakery in Baltimore....

[smayman]

I am also an ex-Jew (not religious, but still love the food). I go to Eastern Market to get poppy hamentashen all the time - they are yummy! They have prune, cherry etc. too. Get the at the stall indoors at the south end of the market. They also sell good red horseradish.

[hillvalley]

Ahhh, you mean Mrs. Fine's (atleast that is what it used to be called). Love her Challah and lace cookies

Before the renovatoin they used to have wonderful iced cookies, but that is another thread.

[JennyUptown]

I used to be able to get awesome bufala mozzarella at the Glover Park Whole Foods.

Then on one recent visit, I arrived to find not my usual Whole Foods "brand" but something more...mass produced. It tasted more like fresh mozzarella than the tangy freshness of bufala mozzarella.

In subsequent visits, Whole Foods hasn't had ANY bufala mozz and it's making me sad. The first time I asked, I got the run-around. Today, they said that they've tried to get it from two local purveyors, but no dice.

So...tell me, where can I get some good bufala mozzarella? I live in upper NW DC so something convenient to that location would be awesome.

[syzygy8]

I haven't asked for it there, but I'd be very surprised if they didn't have any available at Vace on Conn. Ave. in Cleveland Park.

[hjshorter]

I also would try Vace.

[hillvalley]

Vace does carry mozzarella at both the Conn. Ave and Bethesda location. It's behind the counter so you have to ask for it.

Further up Conn. Ave in Chevy Chase, Marcella's also sells amazing mozzarella.

[docsconz]

If you can't find it locally, Star Hill Dairy of Woodstock, Vermont makes a fine example and ships.

[hillvalley]

Doc's post reminded me that there is usually at least one stand at the Dupont Market that sells mozzarella. Don't know if they are year round or seasonal though

[pastramionrye]

*disclaimer: i work at palena.

but if you are looking for the best bufala mozzarella outside of naples, get the anitpasto plate at palena...they get it straight from the source....naples, italy, and it is spectacular.
jenny, if you dont like it...(just so it doesnt seem like i am plugging palena, i will pay for your appetizer).

[morela]

Forgive me for not reading anything before posting...


But, if it hasn't yet been mentioned, why not the Dupont Farmer's Market? Closes at about 2 p.m. today.

[hillvalley]

*disclaimer: i work at palena.

but if you are looking for the best bufala mozzarella outside of naples, get the anitpasto plate at palena...they get it straight from the source....naples, italy, and it is spectacular.
jenny, if you dont like it...(just so it doesnt seem like i am plugging palena, i will pay for your appetizer).

Jenny, I think it's a sign

[Mrs. P]

Further up Conn. Ave in Chevy Chase, Marcella's also sells amazing mozzarella.

Marcela's does have excellent mozzarella, made fresh daily, and not stored in the fridge so it keeps that creamy goodness till you get it home! Can't wait for the first good tomatoes to come out...

[frogprince]

its not quite convenient but litteri's on florida, 6th and morse st., ne usually has it. if not, its still worth the trip. they carry amazing products at ridiculously cheap prices that would make whole foods, dean and deluca, sutton place, etc etc weep. think of it as a trip to restock your pantry as they dont have fresh meat or produce, nice cheese and charcuterie though.

[Al_Dente]

its not quite convenient but litteri's on florida, 6th and morse st., ne usually has it. if not, its still worth the trip. they carry amazing products at ridiculously cheap prices that would make whole foods, dean and deluca, sutton place, etc etc weep. think of it as a trip to restock your pantry as they dont have fresh meat or produce, nice cheese and charcuterie though.

Good suggestion. Litteri's is a gem of a place in a sketchy neighborhood, and the prices are very reasonable. Good spot to stock up on olive oils, vinegars, pasta.