HAMANTASCHEN

[nfarber]

It's that time of year again, kids!
Recommendations for good hamantaschen, either locally or to purchase on-line?

[Jerome]

schwartz's has two varieties of crust - they have the cookie dough which is very popular with the american market, and a type of soft sweet bread dough which is also good. Fillings are prune, cherry, poppyseed, apricot as i recall.

[lad1818]

Bea's Bakery in Tarzana has good ones. I'm loyal to poppy, but I imagine the others would be good as well.

[SIMIHOUND]

Seconds on Bea's. Also please tell me which Costco had them. I am so surprised...

[chuck]

I was at the Northridge Costco yesterday and they had Hamantashan at one of the isle ends right next to the Matzah.

[Joani Macaroni]

For those chowhounders in north western O.C., Katella Deli (on Katella Ave. in Los Alamitos) has them year-round. They also have a wonderful holiday dinner specials from time to time. Usually they're Kosher dinners, but this year they're even having a St. Patrick's Day dinner.

[CynD]

Katella Deli's hamentaschen have always been my kids' favorites. Their Jewish holiday dinners are NOT kosher; only kosher style. Just wanted to point that out for those observing kashruth.

[hpcat]

Ah, yes, I love the hamantaschen. Does anyone know a place that has prune with walnut? That's how Mom made 'em...

I suspect the kosher bakery that's next to the old Cambridge Farms on Whitsett and Burbank would also have good ones.

[remez]

That's Continental Bakery.

If you need to buy a lot to send out to others, Costco works out to be the best deal.

[cant talk...eating]

I'm a huge year-round fan, and my favorite has to be Stolichnaya next to Whole Foods on Santa Monica and Fairfax. I usually just get whichever ones are fresh, and get those, since the poppy seed ones get rock-hard after a couple days. (They usually keep the freshest pastries right up next to the registers, so I grab a couple of these too!)

Diamond's are pretty good too (down Fairfax just no. of Beverly) and I think they have mini ones which the others may not. Canter's and all the big L.A. deli restaurants (Jerry's, Junior's, etc.) usually have the worst in my opinion, either dry/crumbly or oily. All these bakeries sell them year-round, though at some places they're seasonal (ladies in the old Schwartz's on Fairfax glared at me the last time I asked for them off-season). Looking forward to trying those at Beverlywood.

[Suzsqueak]

I picked up an apricot hamantaschen at Beverlywood on Monday. The dough was flavorful, but the apricot filling was too sweet. I just wish that they made the little hamantaschen all year long instead of the ones that are as big as my hand. I always feel like I've eaten way too much sugar when I eat a large Hamantaschen

[2ndAvenue]

Go to Schwartz's bakery on Pico and make sure to get at least one with poppy seed filling.

[Hilcat]

I bought some at Costco. Haven't opened them so they'd stay as fresh as possible, but Costco products are usually pretty good. Included Apricot and Raspberry flavors. And they're a good size - not too small.

[LMelba]

Sam's Kosher Bakery (N. Hollywood) makes really good ones. I also like them from Viktor Benes (Gelson's Encino location).

[jlq3d3]

I like Diamond Bakery on Fairfax just north of Beverly in general.

[liu]

I also like Diamond's Bakery, especially their dark raisin bread (even if you only purchase a tiny piece, you can do your bicep curls with it! -- loaded with a ton of plump raisins!) and their chocolate pastry which they will cut to any size.

I wonder if Aroma Cafe on Ventura Boulevard in Encino makes hamantaschen? Their bakery case is pretty gorgeous, although I haven't tasted anything yet. Anyone?

[demmee]

diamonds are delish but i prefer cantors and/or beverlywood...and that
amazing "choc pastry" is called a racetrack for reasons i've never discovered...i buy 2 pieces...cause 1 never makes it home ...

[liu]

Ah...racetrack! It was explained to me one time that the name is derived from the fact that the pastry is made in concentric circles, like racetracks...very appropriate, huh!
I know, we eat it too quickly to look, but next time take a sec to observe its beauty with the gazillion chocolate-pastry circles!

[JeffW]

Beverlywood Bakery's Poppy Seed Hamentaschen---you'll plohtz!

[Emme]

LOVE Beverlywood.. their danishes as well post Pesach of course

Bea's Bakery in Tarzana

Delice Bakery on Pico

[CynD]

Benes bakery in the Encino or Pacific Palisades Gelson's. The branch in Northridge isn't as good.

[profhotsauce]

Has anyone know of a place that sells fig hamantaschen?

[mungus]

I've had pretty good hamantaschen from Beverlywood Bakery on Pico, but it was over a year ago.

Canter's hamantaschen was okay too, as was Junior's.

Not sure what they called it or if it qualifies, but I had an outstanding poppy seed pastry at the Polish/European deli, I think called J&T European Deli in Santa Monica on 11th & Wilshire.

[fdb]

Are you talking about the bakery next to the post office--between 12th & Euclid? It used to be called Vienna Bakery. Has the name been changed?

[smfoodie]

Vienna Pastry is still there. J&T is the Polish deli aross the street.

[fdb]

Oh, I've seen hamantaschen at Vienna also.

[DiveFan]

Sorry I can't help you with your request, but my curiosity got me to investigate this item further. When I looked at the picture here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamantaschen I immediately thought 'wow, a baby Jewish kolache' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolache .

I'm with you, where are the good ones?