And what’s Purim without Helen’s homemade hamantaschen? She sends them to us every year and it is such a treat — because not only do I not usually eat sweets, but Helen’s cooking (that’s my mom, obvi) is just the best. I am not a baker, but she is an all-star — and these are every bit of proof you will ever need. And how freaking cute is she with the handwritten note? I only wish it said Jamie on it, so you could see how she always dots the “i” in my name with a heart. ALWAYS.
Anyway I didn’t know that this was my Bubby’s recipe — that’s my late grandmother, my mom’s mom — until she told me, though I shouldn’t be surprised. Almost all of my memories of her — except for her gorgeous jewelry and knit sweaters I inherited — are surrounded by food. There was her herring at the break fast for Yom Kippur, her roast beef simmering in a pool of gravy and roasted potatoes at every other holiday, and her endless twist-top containers of raisins and goldfish we would dig into as we played Rummy or Kings Corners with her and my Zayda. And now, her hamantaschen.
Read the story of Purim and these delicious triangular cookies — then bake your own using the recipe below.
