444661 Tue Sep 25 10:24:42 -0700 2007 64 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 2974333 When I first moved to New York I knew that I had to try a few things: bagels with real lox and cream cheese, deli pastrami and a knish. I tried them all within my first few months here and fell absolutely in love, except with the knish. Now I'm starting to think I didn't like knishes because unlike bagels or pastrami, a knish isn't a self-explanatory snack. Do you eat it cold? Hot? Dipped in sauce? With something on top? I tried a spinach knish from my next-door deli when I first came here and when they asked how I wanted it, I sheepishly said, "To go." I didn't know what the options were, but I wish I had since I found the knish to be much akin to a dried out hockey puck. Now whenever I go to market, I see myriad knishes waiting for a home and I'm willing to try if someone would just tell me how to do it like a real fresser. Tue Sep 25 10:24:42 -0700 2007 68363 JungMann 1 2974396 I've always eaten my knishes plain, heated up. I prefer meat or potatoe knishes myself. Tue Sep 25 10:35:47 -0700 2007 2974333 76776 Elyssa 1 2974434 Definitely hot and plain. (Okay, maybe a touch of mustard because I'll put mustard on anything.) I'm a kasha guy myself... Tue Sep 25 10:42:25 -0700 2007 2974333 111178 sea97horse 2 2975783 Kasha for me too...wish I could get them here in San Fran!!! Tue Sep 25 15:40:34 -0700 2007 2974434 10485 ChowFun_derek 3 2975819 Some places will ship. Tue Sep 25 15:50:28 -0700 2007 2975783 117292 Shayna Madel 1 2974438 Always hot, or at least warm. If it's a potato knish, I like it with mustard, as a side dish with hot dogs or a pastrami sandwich. If it's a spinach (or other variety), no need to put anything on top. Tue Sep 25 10:42:58 -0700 2007 2974333 10205 valerie 1 2974439 I like the round flaky knishes over the square fried looking pucks. I used to see "potato dogs" around in the old days. They were really good, they were usually deep fried in an eggroll like skin. To duplicate, take a cooked hotdog, and stuff it into a potato knish. heat the knish until crisp, and serve with mustard. That's my favorite way to eat them. Tue Sep 25 10:43:04 -0700 2007 2974333 10147 michele cindy 2 2974512 They're supposed to be flaky? The ones I've had had the consistency of dense and dry mashed potatoes. Tue Sep 25 10:58:06 -0700 2007 2974439 68363 JungMann 3 2974588 The crust is what is supposed to be flaky. Tue Sep 25 11:12:19 -0700 2007 2974512 117292 Shayna Madel 4 2974608 Maybe I couldn't tell because the knish was cold, but it didn't seem that my knish had a crust. It seemed to be all all potato. Maybe I'm also buying bad knishes. Tue Sep 25 11:16:52 -0700 2007 2974588 68363 JungMann 5 2974651 Since you had trouble finding the crust, I am assuming that you had a round one, not a square one. The square ones have a thick, sort of golden brown crust and some purists don't care for those. The round ones have a very thin layer of dough encasing the filling. Traditionally, the filling is potato, but some do meat, kasha, spinach, sweet potato, mixed veggies, mushrooms, broccoli, cabbage--each mixed in with potato. Tue Sep 25 11:23:28 -0700 2007 2974608 117292 Shayna Madel 6 2977551 The best old-school kasha knishes I've found in the NYC Metro area are - strangely enough - from Hobby's Deli in Newark, NJ. There's been a deli at the current location for over 90 years, and they make the kind of very flaky, pastry-like crust filled with distinctly grainy kasha (not the kasha mush you commonly find, often blended with potatoes) that I remember from the 50's. Kasha or potato knishes should, as others have stated, be heated to a pleasant warmness in an oven or toaster oven (never microwaved) and served with deli mustard (brown, spicy). Wed Sep 26 07:28:16 -0700 2007 2974651 12622 Striver 2 2983917 Where can you get round knishes in NYC? I've only seen square ones. Thu Sep 27 17:22:33 -0700 2007 2974439 13950 chowmeow 3 2984132 Surely you jest...try Yona Schimmel's, on Houston Street in Manhattan (www.knishery.com) or Knish Nosh, on Queens Boulevard, in Rego Park, Queens (www.knishnosh.com). Also, Katz's Deli (www.katzdeli.com), Carnegie Deli (www.carnegiedeli.com), Stage Deli (www.stagedeli.com), Ben's Deli (www.bensdeli.net) all Manhattan deli's, have them. I am sure that other Kosher/Kosher-style deli's have them, also, as well as some bagel places. Thu Sep 27 18:29:35 -0700 2007 2983917 117292 Shayna Madel 4 3016625 Thanks for all of the links! Mon Oct 08 19:59:48 -0700 2007 2984132 13950 chowmeow 5 3016912 Glad to help. Hope that you have some and enjoy! Mon Oct 08 22:50:12 -0700 2007 3016625 117292 Shayna Madel 1 2974482 Just hot, or sometimes hot with some mustard. Depends on the filling. Unfortunately, most places reheat them in a microwave oven, but they are really better if reheated in a toaster oven/convection oven/traditional oven. Yona Schimmel's, on Houston Street has a wide assortment. Also, in Queens, you could try Knish Nosh, on Queens Boulevard, in Rego Park has a few different types. Both are local institutions and YS is near both Russ & Daughters and Katz's Deli, also institutions, for smoked fish and deli sandwiches, respectively. Tue Sep 25 10:52:48 -0700 2007 2974333 117292 Shayna Madel 2 2975036 ... and the mustard must be applied properly. Have the deli counterman cut the square knish the long way, parallel to the crust, spread the mustard on the potato filling and then close it back up. Tue Sep 25 12:42:36 -0700 2007 2974482 14555 stuartlafonda 3 2975068 exactly what i was going to say! the mustard has to get right in there. Tue Sep 25 12:48:01 -0700 2007 2975036 104084 LNG212 4 2975154 Definitely the mustard goes in the middle. Sorry I did not specify that. I guess I am just used to doing it or the places I go to know what to do... Tue Sep 25 13:06:53 -0700 2007 2975068 117292 Shayna Madel 2 2975630 And if you're in the Bronx (Riverdale section) make sure you stop in at Leibman's Deli. The knishes are good, the sandwiches great, the cole slaw magnificent and the pickles just outstanding! Tue Sep 25 14:58:20 -0700 2007 2974482 15128 RichK 1 2975085 go to a knish cart and say "one hot knish with sauerkraut, mustard and alittle ketchup please" that's how to eat a knish! Tue Sep 25 12:52:22 -0700 2007 2974333 119492 buenosds 2 2975190 With ketchup!? Never heard of that one. What type of knish would that be that you eat that way? A meat knish? Tue Sep 25 13:14:16 -0700 2007 2975085 76776 Elyssa 3 2975330 I never heard of the ketchup thing or the sauerkraut thing either, but as to ketchup, I figure people do french fries or home fries with it, so it could make sense and as to sauerkraut, both Knish Nosh and Yona Schimmel make a cabbage knish, so maybe sauerkraut could work. Hey, Elyssa, perhaps some homemade chopped liver? Tue Sep 25 13:43:36 -0700 2007 2975190 117292 Shayna Madel 2 2977394 Why ruin a perfectly good knish with sauerkraut and ketchup? Save the ketchup for a burger. A hot, grilled/griddled knish with some brown deli mustard on the side to dip the knish into. Wed Sep 26 06:40:12 -0700 2007 2975085 12821 ESNY 3 3099025 There must be a special place in foodie hell for anyone who would put ketchup on a knish. Sacrilege! I'm not even kidding. Tue Nov 06 04:38:15 -0800 2007 2977394 80872 addictedtolunch 1 2975654 Hot with good mustard. Tue Sep 25 15:03:08 -0700 2007 2974333 23013 ganeden 2 2975822 Gold/brown mustard. Not yellow. Tue Sep 25 15:50:51 -0700 2007 2975654 117292 Shayna Madel 1 2976807 Plain. Hot, or at least warm. No microwave. Forget the mustard / ketchup / whatever narrishkeit: a knish is a knish is a knish. No sauces. Spinach knish? What's that? Tue Sep 25 21:30:59 -0700 2007 2974333 28703 RicRios 2 2977158 Hey purist, I think a spinach knish is a cousin to a cinnamon-raisin bagel or something along those lines. I'm figuring if they do them at Yona Schimmel and/or Knish Nosh, nothing drastic will happen if I try one some day. Wed Sep 26 04:36:08 -0700 2007 2976807 117292 Shayna Madel 3 2977181 Spinach knishes are great. Did you ever eat boiled potatoes, mixed with creamed spinach, and hard boiled egg? Not exactly the same, but that's what a spinach knish reminds me of. Wed Sep 26 05:02:03 -0700 2007 2977158 10147 michele cindy 2 2977384 You've hit on my pet peeve, RicRios. Too, too many delis microwave their knishes these days. It has to be from the griddle, preferably picking up some of the hot dog grease. I always ask now if the knish is being microwaved or not. Usually the answer is yes, so I don't bother ordering it. If I wanted a handful of lukewarm mashed potatoes I'd order a handful of lukewarm mashed potatoes. Oh, and it has to be brown mustard, never yellow. And I generally prefer kasha anyhow. I haven't seen a meat knish in years. Boy, do I miss those. Wed Sep 26 06:36:16 -0700 2007 2976807 25244 rockycat 3 2977415 If you are in NY, go to Knish Nosh on Queens Boulevard, in Rego Park. They list meat knishes in their repetoire. And they do kasha. And they ship if you are not nearby. Without getting into the "best" type of debate, these are good knishes. And I agree with your "no microwaving" philosophy. Wed Sep 26 06:45:35 -0700 2007 2977384 117292 Shayna Madel 4 2980075 OMG, this thread is driving me crazy!!!! I've only visited New York once, in between high school and college, but I still remember the knishes...a deli here in Atlanta made incredible, authentic potato knishes years ago, but they closed, and I haven't found another good one since. I'm going to have to investigate the shipping for a special occasion... Wed Sep 26 17:21:07 -0700 2007 2977415 80943 potterybliss 1 2977371 I'm rolling on the floor. This link is as good as a Jackie Mason shtick (sp?). I love it! Thanks everyone. CocoDan Wed Sep 26 06:32:17 -0700 2007 2974333 12643 CocoDan 2 2977438 Hey CocoDan the proper eating of Knishes is nothing to laugh at!!! :> That being said, my favorite way of eating the revered knish is to take home a round one (don't get me started on those square things!) and heat it in the toaster oven until the crust has the requisite crunch. The mustard (brown of course, yellow mustard is only for the ball park) should lie adjacent to the knish ready for dipping. A deli here in Westchester, N.Y. serves a stuffed knish with either salami or hot dog. Genius or over kill? Wed Sep 26 06:52:05 -0700 2007 2977371 57253 lucyis 3 2977990 You're killing me! This is the best! OY! C. Wed Sep 26 09:14:32 -0700 2007 2977438 12643 CocoDan 3 2979191 Look at the Sarge's Deli menu (3rd ave and 38th Street in Manhattan). They have something they call a Deli Wellington, which is a knish which has chunks of corned beef and pastrami in it. Wed Sep 26 13:32:33 -0700 2007 2977438 12821 ESNY 1 2977463 If anyone saw the Food Network show on sandwiches, you will know what I am talking about...Now, I have never tried this, but a guy on the show took a knish and used it as "bread" for a panini. I can only imagine how GOOD that would be. Typically, I 'em warm, not too hot, with some spicy mustard. Wed Sep 26 07:00:39 -0700 2007 2974333 12237 L_W 2 2978262 Fusion panini knishes? What type of sandwich filling did he use? Wed Sep 26 10:12:24 -0700 2007 2977463 10264 rworange 3 2978844 He (guy from Katz's Deli) stuffed it with: mustard garlicwurst jalapeno pepper jack cheese pickle And then pressed it on the panini press. I was thinking pastrami would work fine, too..... Wed Sep 26 12:22:27 -0700 2007 2978262 12237 L_W 4 2979130 And alka seltzer on the side? There is something very strange to me about any kind of cheese being anywhere near a knish. Yeah, I know, there are plenty of potato and cheese dishes, but somehow there is a real disconnect here. Wed Sep 26 13:20:28 -0700 2007 2978844 117292 Shayna Madel 5 2979226 Yeah, these ones should be called "KNISHT" ( = a knish nisht ) Wed Sep 26 13:40:32 -0700 2007 2979130 28703 RicRios 6 2979279 I for the most part prefer them heated in the oven, with cracked pepper, but have been known to use brown mustard. My girlfriend likes hers with sour cream. A deli here in New Haven sometimes has potato/corned beef knishes that are great. The sqare fried ones are not knishes, Wed Sep 26 13:51:20 -0700 2007 2979226 32853 mmalmad 2 3099602 Press 195 (I think that's the name of it I'm a bit off with numbers) in Park Slope, Brooklyn has a knish anini. My husband got the on with pastrami. It's way too much for me. I like my knish plain nice and warm. I would sometimes get the hot dog oninons on it. Yona Schimmel's, on Houston St in Manhattan is great, but I miss Mrs. Stahl's in Brighton beach. Tue Nov 06 08:16:58 -0800 2007 2977463 11701 MrsT 1 2982008 try this and you will be delirious from happiness... buy a SQUARE potato knish. bring it home. heat it in the oven at 375 until the corners get crispy - the crispiness is key! cut in to quarters so that you have four delicious sections, all terminating in a perfect, crunchy bite. dip in brown deli mustard - or do like i do and squirt a puddle of mustard AND a puddle of ketchup and alternate, combine, etc as the mood strikes... best paired with a pile of REALLY GREEN half-sour pickles and a dr. brown's root beer... if you don't enjoy a knish this way, i don't know what to tell you! :) Thu Sep 27 09:45:23 -0700 2007 2974333 63462 missfunkysoul 2 2982424 I do enjoy the square knishes on occasion and I will think about the ketchup aspect. but the Dr. Brown's MUST be cream soda. Thu Sep 27 11:10:19 -0700 2007 2982008 117292 Shayna Madel 3 2982441 When I was a kid in the Bronx, the square knishes, which mysteriously appeared in the late 50's, were referred to - not disrespectfully, because they quickly became popular - as "Puerto Rican Knishes". I don't know whether this is because they originated in the barrio, or were derived from a Latino staple (stuffed potatoes are, but these are potato-stuffed!). The name was used to differentiate them from Jewish-style deli knishes, which at the time were uniformly round (and only came in potato or kasha). Oh - and if you're not drinking Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray, you should be. Thu Sep 27 11:14:09 -0700 2007 2982424 12622 Striver 4 2983056 You got me interested in the difference between the round and square knish and the origin. From this NY Times article, it seems the baked round knish was the original. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C05E3DF1538F931A35751C0A9659C8B63 Elia Gabay who started Gabilah's Knishes, automated the process, creating the fried square knish. The article goes on to credit Rudi Giuliani for eradicating the square knish from the NY street scene. While one might think this could be used as a campagn issue against him, maybe not ... as this quote from the article shows ... ''I'm glad to see them go,'' said Jim Leff, author of ''The Eclectic Food Guide to New York'' and the creator of Chowhound.com, an encyclopedic and raucous message board whose focus is food spots in New York. ''I equate it with the eradication of the West Nile virus. The knishes that were sold on the street were lousy, soggy little things that gave knishes a bad name. If you want an idea of how awful they are, consider this: They make potatoes taste bad.'' It seems square knish loathing continues under the current ownership Knishes KO'd http://www.chow.com/grinder/235 There are two types of wrapping as well: "regular pastry dough, or a thicker, crustier dough" http://www.fineliving.com/fine/favorite_things_essentials/article/0,1663,FINE_1426_2695366,00.html Thu Sep 27 13:14:11 -0700 2007 2982441 10264 rworange 5 2983426 i say, don't believe the hype. of course a knish of either shape served warm and soggy would be awful. i'm sure there are plenty of bad round knishes out there, too. and ok, it's not entirely traditional... but a good, properly-prepared square potato knish with a tasty, onion-laden filling just happens to be one of my favorite things on the planet, and so i am biased my my own personal taste. i know others who feel the same. we are a small but proud people, us square knish fans... :) and any dr. brown's is good by me! Thu Sep 27 14:46:20 -0700 2007 2983056 63462 missfunkysoul 5 2983772 I think the fried part was one of the reasons they became so popular so quickly. So maybe it was Hispanic street vendors selling Gabila's product that led to the nickname? Just speculating here... Thu Sep 27 16:38:57 -0700 2007 2983056 12622 Striver 4 2983480 FYI, diet cel-ray has been discontinued. But then again, when you're drinking Dr. Brown's, who drinks the diet version? Thu Sep 27 15:03:27 -0700 2007 2982441 117292 Shayna Madel 5 2983761 Dr. Brown makes diet soda???? :) Thu Sep 27 16:35:18 -0700 2007 2983480 12622 Striver 6 3085857 I like Cel-Ray with my knish. I think the square knishes have gotten a bad rep because most of the vendors who sell them just don't care, they let them sit out and become dry and nasty. Turnover isn't as high as it used to be when knishes were more popular, so freshness is suspect as well. If you see Gabila's in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket--usually near the deli counter--bring some home and bake 'em at about 350 degrees till you can hear them "sizzle." If you like, slice 'em open and spread some deli mustard inside. They're good. There's another brand you might find in the store, "Joshua's". Don't bother with those. They're terrible... Runny mashed potatoes sweetened with sugar. Feh! Of course, I also appreciate a good, traditional, round baked knish. I'll be visiting Knish Nosh in a few weeks to stock up! Thu Nov 01 08:48:35 -0700 2007 2983761 26177 NewYorkDave 7 3088666 Me too. I like Cel-Ray with my knish, and with my Katz's pastrami sandwich.When I was a kid, my friend Bubbe mad sweet rice kinishes and lima bean knishes....they were great. Fri Nov 02 07:17:32 -0700 2007 3085857 18755 howboy 1 2982474 To summarize: you need to go find yourself a hot, potato knish with a flaky crust! That's how it's done. Thu Sep 27 11:20:19 -0700 2007 2974333 112406 Chew on That 2 2983196 Where are you finding knishes in Chicago? I lived near Skokie and regularly bought groceries on Devon and still never saw a knish until I came out to NYC. Thu Sep 27 13:44:24 -0700 2007 2982474 68363 JungMann 1 2983590 k, for those of us who are in the middle of the country who can't go to a deli or a cart, anyone have a recipe for these wondermous things? Thu Sep 27 15:33:57 -0700 2007 2974333 32586 revsharkie 2 2983803 My cousin (a former professional caterer) makes them homemade and gave my mother the recipe. I will try to get the recipe from my mother and post it over the weekend. The way they turn out, they are not as wide across and only about 3/4" to 1" thick, but the taste is definitely there. In fact, I think they are better than the storebought ones, but I may be biased...There are old-time places in NYC that ship, if you are interested in that. Thu Sep 27 16:46:02 -0700 2007 2983590 117292 Shayna Madel 3 3100100 Yona Schimmel ships: http://knishery.com/ Tue Nov 06 10:15:47 -0800 2007 2983803 11701 MrsT 1 3088964 Anybody know where you can still get liver knishes? Used to be almost every jewish deli in NJ had them, now I cant find em anywhere! Fri Nov 02 08:53:08 -0700 2007 2974333 21849 basachs 2 3089086 The best old-school kasha knishes I've had in recent years came from Hobby's Deli in Newark; don't know if they make liver, but it's worth a call to find out. Fri Nov 02 09:26:40 -0700 2007 3088964 12622 Striver 1 3090788 I live in Pittsburgh, which has a large Eastern European - Jewish heritage. I recently saw these round knish at my local Whole Foods, and bought one for trying. (The last potato "unknown I had tried, the Potato Latke, had turned out to be delicious). Not having read this thread, I microwaved the knish, and ate it with ketchup. Unfortunately, the crust just fell off the knish, and the results was soggy and stale. I will probably try it a second time. Fri Nov 02 17:55:14 -0700 2007 2974333 139825 eclecticfoodhound 2 3099652 Definitely try it again, definitely heat in oven/toaster oven, definitely use golden mustard. And with the latke, don't microwave that either and have it with applesauce. (Some do sour cream with the latke.) Tue Nov 06 08:26:42 -0800 2007 3090788 117292 Shayna Madel 2 3703885 Ketchup on a knish! Aargh! The terrorists have won! Tue May 20 01:12:00 -0700 2008 3090788 80872 addictedtolunch