Dreidle & Latkes (1916)

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 8/5/02 8:13:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
laurence.horn at YALE.EDU writes:

> >I could not find "latkes" but I did find in [the Jewish Encyclopedia]
volume IV
>  >(1903) page 257 column
>  >2 article "Cookery" the following: ["]The Haman Tash, a kind of a turnover
>  >filled with honey and black poppy-seed, is eaton on the Feast of Purim,
but
>  >probably has no special meaning."
>
>  A spelling incorporating what I understand to be a folk etymology.
>  If hamantashen really does come from "mohn" ('poppy seed') + "tashen"
>  ('pockets'), Haman had nothing to with it, other than the convenience
>  of being associated with the three-cornered hat that the triangular
>  shape of the pastry is said to represent.

If your etymology for "hamantashen" is correct, then why does _The Jewish
Manual_ edited by "a Lady" (pseud. for Lady Judith Montefiorie)  London: T. &
W. Boone, 1846 (reprinted by Nightingale Books, Cold Spring NY, 1983, ISBN
0-911389-00-8) on page 123 have a dish called "Haman's fritters"?

      - Jim Landau