Gelt Trip: A Taste Test by the Washington Post

[Gifted Gourmet]

the main article from WP

The story of gelt ("money" in Yiddish) comes from a less-gilded age, of course. For Hanukkah, which starts at sundown on Christmas Day this year, various attributions of giving are almost as illuminating as the holiday's menorah itself. Plausible origins include ancient rabbinical commentary on the distribution of money so that each household could afford to light candles each of the eight nights of the holiday. This at least puts the gelt in the hands of someone who might have called it by that name. It also links it with a population of Jewish European chocolate makers who produced confectionary coins wrapped in gold foil, much to the delight of children.

the taste test from the Washington Post

BEST

SEE'S CANDIES Sweet and milky, good chocolate flavor, melts quickly; the foil coin design gives it a slight edge over Godiva

GODIVA Fancy, mild, creamy

GOOD

MADELAINE (of Rockaway Beach, N.Y.) COINS

Mild, good break, nice but not very chocolaty

TRADER JOE'S COINS OF THE WORLD ,

Rich but not overly sweet, doesn't melt

BISSINGER'S Nice flavor, sweet but tough to peel open

FAIR

PREMIUM,

Has coconut taste, grainy, good-looking

ASTOR BELGIAN Hard and rich, sweet but odd aftertaste, very mild

BETTER YOU SHOULD PLAY THAN EAT

ELITE GELT too sweet, dark chocolate's too hard

CHANUKAH GELT bland, no chocolate taste until the end

[Pam R]

BETTER YOU SHOULD PLAY THAN EAT

ELITE GELT too sweet, dark chocolate's too hard

Bah Humbug! What about tradition?! Sure the Elite are somewhat sweet ... but after 30 years or so, you get used to them! (I do agree though, skip the parve ones)

Excuse me, but Baba and Zaida never bought me Godiva gelt. I'm just fine with the Elite.

I love the fact that they actually did a comparison. It's hilarious.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I love the fact that they actually did a comparison.  It's hilarious.

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That was my feeling as well, Pam, and I had to agree with the Elite Hanukkah gelt .. not particularly tasty ... so I now use it as decoration between my dreidels in the centerpiece... but as far as taste goes, I am a Godiva gelt fan ...

[Eden]

but does the Godiva gelt have dreidels and menorahs on it? I like my gelt to be thematic...

Flavor would be a lovely addition though

[Pam R]

but does the Godiva gelt have dreidels and menorahs on it?  I like my gelt to be thematic... 

Flavor would be a lovely addition though 

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Agreed... thematic is a must. Flavour shmavour.

[mizducky]

Heh. I have definitely had my share of funky-tasting Hanukkah gelt in my time, so it's kind of nice to see that experience validated. I always liked the way the gelt looked and felt in the hand while still wrapped. But between the grainy, not-very-chocolatey chocolate, and the difficulty getting the danged wrappers off, they mostly seemed more trouble than they were worth except for the traditionalism of it all. Now I'll have to duck into my local See's to, well, see if their version is the improvement the WP taste-testers say it is. (Provided the local See's has got 'em.)

[rooftop1000]

but does the Godiva gelt have dreidels and menorahs on it?  I like my gelt to be thematic... 

Flavor would be a lovely addition though 

←

Godiva did a seasonal 1# box with blue and silver wrapping and a dreidel on it, I use the dreidel for an ornament, and put gelt in the stockings....I always got gelt in my stocking, even if I didnt know what it was.

T

oh and my gelt this year is Streits

Edited December 25, 2005 by rooftop1000 (log)