Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Kobayashi Loves Hamentashen, And You Can Too: Here's Where
By
Joseph Alexiou
Published Mar 6, 2012
Modified Mar 6, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 3
By
Joseph Alexiou
Published Mar 6, 2012
Modified Mar 6, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Leaving Channukah behind in the dust, Purim is clearly the most festive holiday in Judaism—according to some dusty ancient scrolls, you're supposed to drink so much you literally can't distinguish good from evil. To each his own vice, but most people will just stuff themselves with hamentashen — the tri-cornered, sugary cookies filled with drool-worthy fruit pastes. Traditionally it's prune and apricot, but, thanks to the Reform movement, chocolate filling now also makes an appearance.
Back in 2010, Tablet Mag voted Russ & Daughters, the celebrated Lower East Side appetizing, as the number one spot in the whole country for the tasty Yiddishe pastry (2010 was a big year for Purim, considering that it was the day the Jersey Shore cast almost met an untimely demise, no irony intended). So it's no small potato that this year, for the first time Russ & Daughters announced a new poppy seed flavored 'tash to add to the mix.
Because there couldn't be just one, Tablet also voted the Silver Moon Bakery on the UWS for second place in the whole country for Purim sweets. They probably didn't want to unsettle the slight majority of American Jews that happen to not live in New York, as the online mag neglected to mention the venerable Moishe's Bake Shop on Second Avenue, which holds the popular record for Gotham's best triangular cookie at least according to Yelp.
Thankfully, Israeli airline El Al will bring some necessary decorum to the festivities by hosting the first ever National Hamentashen eating contest, here in New York this Thursday, run by All Pro Eating. According to the Marketwire, the guy to beat is "professional eater Will 'The Champ' Millender, four-time and current New York stinky cheese eating champion."
Despite these truly amazing pictures of Takeru Kobayashi chomping down on a giant hamentashen after a recent talk at Yeshiva University, the star digester of hot dogs won't be participating in the contest. To make up for the disappointment, we'll end with the blog of Ali Babka, the only observant Jewish student in her class at the Institute of Culinary Education here in the city. Check out the intriguing recipes for cocktail-flavored hamentashen (no, seriously — would you like a mojito hamentashen?) that she shared with us. L'chayim indeed.
Tagged
Competitive Eating
hamentashen
kobayashi
moishes bake shop
purim
russ & daughters
silver moon bakery
Joseph Alexiou
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .