The War of the Grandmas' Baklava

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Baklava Grand did break up with the Greek boyfriend, but just this year, they have come back together.
Cedar. What a great story. I am happy for you that you are finding this unity and they are too.

I have been reading a little bit about Greece just lately since the death of Leonard Cohen who lived on the island of Hydra for 6 years I think it was. And I had a Greek boyfriend, too. Pavlos. Who went back to Crete and now owns a small hotel there. I have been sadly watching the political and economic situation unfold in Greece and feeling sad about how it is affecting the people there.

I never made the Baklava recipe but just this morning, coincidentally, I was thinking of going to a Walmart in a neighboring town that sells Phyllo.. My Walmart does not sell it. Other stores do. And I thought about buying a bunch of it to freeze. And here you are. Making Baklava today.
 

Nomad

Well-Known Member
Staff member
If you have the recipe in a format that you can easily send it to me, I would like it. Is it hard to make? I have some Greek folks in my heritage/background.
I have never made baklava before.

I tend to make rum cake at the holiday time.

Blessings!!!!
 

Lil

Well-Known Member
The third year of baklava! I'm so excited! You know...I still haven't made it. :oops:

But I may have to this year. I'm trying to be Christmassy this year. Last year we didn't even put up a tree, since we were going to Vegas, but I told Jabber the other day we need to this year. Even if we only use 1/2 our tree & put it on a table, we should try to get in the holiday spirit. He pointed out that we never have company and we won't have any presents under it. Scrooge. (But, he's right.)

Maybe baklava would get him in the mood to be holly jolly? At a minimum, it'll make his tummy happy.
 

AppleCori

Well-Known Member
Baklava sounds so good!

I, however, won't be making any.

Too tempting.

I have been trying to totally cut sugar and carbs from my diet, and having that in the house would cause me to stumble. Most deserts don't tempt me that much, but that baklava looks too good!

Have fun, guys!
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
If you have the recipe in a format that you can easily send it to me, I would like it. Is it hard to make? I have some Greek folks in my heritage/background.
I have never made baklava before.

I tend to make rum cake at the holiday time.

Ah, Nomad. How nice to see you. The recipe Lil posted for me, and just how I did everything, are in the early pages of this posting. I would love it if baklava became a Christmas tradition for us, and if that happened because of this post and our site. It was very very easy to make Nomad, but different than the way we bake. You layer nuts and butter between many double layers of paper-thin pastry. Then, cut it halfway through and bake it. When it comes out of the oven, you pour the cool sauce over the piping hot baklava. The temperature discrepancy is what makes it crispy. Over the days, the baklava takes on the most amazing mix of flavors, every day different it seems, until it stabilizes or something, and tastes extraordinary. When they go, I am going to ask Baklava Grand to bring me some Greek baklava. That is the only way I will know whether my baklava is really good baklava...but I think it is. And I love it, and I love that we do that, and I am so happy to see all of us here again.

Is your rum cake like a fruitcake, Nomad?

But I may have to this year. I'm trying to be Christmassy this year. Last year we didn't even put up a tree, since we were going to Vegas, but I told Jabber the other day we need to this year. Even if we only use 1/2 our tree & put it on a table, we should try to get in the holiday spirit. He pointed out that we never have company and we won't have any presents under it. Scrooge. (But, he's right.)

Oh, that Jabber. I miss you two. I still remember that time Jabber was all about showing off his pirate skirt and his socks.

:hugs:

You know what? We don't have any presents, either. We do a tree and a wreath, but without the kids, anything more just doesn't bring happiness. It's just all glittery, but without the magic. But the baklava? That brings happy, Lil. Mailing it out to family is so stellar. I am excited about Christmas because I am sending the baklava. I am going to begin listening to Christmas carols, and thinking about my people who will eat the baklava and that they are expecting to receive it, now. I think your son would so love baklava, Lil. It isn't like sending cookies, which go a little stale or maybe, don't hold together so well. We wrapped the baklava in plastic and then foil, and mailed it in one of those post office boxes that fold down so tight and it arrived in perfect condition. I think shipping was something like $7. But it made me so happy, so happy, to do that.

Those first years without the kids at home are so difficult. We kept trying to do what we'd always done. That didn't work. We made the Feast of the Fishes for the neighbors, but it wasn't the same, not at all. We kept trying new things, but nothing felt right...but all along, what I'd needed was some way to give to my family that wasn't just money or something that felt contrived. I missed Christmas so much, and nothing seemed to fill that void. I hope you both do make the baklava. It's like, really scary to do it that first year. The way the flavors blend is an amazing thing that happens and it is a curious and delight-filled thing to taste it again once the flavors have changed. No worries about eating too much, because you will be sending most of it off to people you love. Or, bringing it to church. And it's so pretty. I will try to post a picture for you.

I have been trying to totally cut sugar and carbs from my diet, and having that in the house would cause me to stumble. Most deserts don't tempt me that much, but that baklava looks too good!

It is really good, Apple. I am surprised at myself that I like the way it changes flavors as it ages. I am so curious about it, when I make it. I hope I don't mess it up this year.

I don't eat much sugar or any carbs at all anymore, either, AppleCori. I feel so much better. Sometimes I slip and have pasta, but after I do, I feel heavy so heavy and lethargic that it's easy to stop again. You will have to celebrate vicarious baklava with us...vicariously, AppleCori. Thank you for posting in. It's very nice to see you!

:wine:
Cedar
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
I have been reading a little bit about Greece just lately since the death of Leonard Cohen who lived on the island of Hydra for 6 years I think it was. And I had a Greek boyfriend, too. Pavlos. Who went back to Crete and now owns a small hotel there. I have been sadly watching the political and economic situation unfold in Greece and feeling sad about how it is affecting the people there.

Ah, Copa. Hello. How nice to see you again. I am not making the baklava today, Copa. I am preparing, and celebrating the thinking about it and savoring the getting ready to make and mail it. I will post about it here on the day I do make it.

:O)

Cedar

Very special to me, to see each of you here. Thank you.
 

mof

Momdidntsignupforthis
I have nothing to add, have had a horrid few days....struggling with Xmas spirit...but LOVE that food...I usually eat most myself......I have no carb guilt.....
 

AppleCori

Well-Known Member
I have nothing to add, have had a horrid few days....struggling with Xmas spirit...but LOVE that food...I usually eat most myself......I have no carb guilt.....

Ahhhh.... those were the days, when I had no guilt or worry about carbs!

But now, it just feels so heavy to me, like Cedar described. (Not to mention, I could stand to loose a pound or 20) so win-win!
 
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Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
I met a bona fide Greek person in my Tai Chi class, today. His grandmother made baklava, including the pastry, from scratch. He just uses the phyllo dough like we all do, but he said there is an enormous difference between homemade and commercial phyllo. I will see him again Thursday. I will bring us an authentic Greek recipe for the juice and I am so excited. That is where the magic happens, according to the Greek ladies on AllRecipes. One of the ladies in that same class is knitting felt tennis shoe covers for a granddaughter. I'd never seen anything like those high-top tennis shoe covers. They were really so cute.

Cedar
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
D H mom has been transferred to Hospice. Very sad for all of us. His family are amazing people. We've come back up north. Our daughter is here, too. We have been so close on CD site, and I have posted so much about D H Italian mom that I wanted you to know.

She is comfortable, and with much family around her.

Cedar
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Dear Cedar

I am so sorry for you and for husband. I am just now seeing this post.

Actually, I did a search for you just now, because I wanted to reread the gambler's bet quote on your signature. And to find you, I entered D H mom. I thought I would find an update on how she was. The last time you wrote of her that I remembered was how she had to be hoisted into the convertible. How tired she was and how hard it was on your D H.

I feel so bad. I felt I knew her, you posted so vividly of her and her influence on you, and your life. I had such a beautiful picture of her and her life in my mind's eye, and the family she built. (I still savor her defiance of her own D H to get a job.)

Cedar, is she conscious, at all? When you arrived from your other home, was she conscious?

I am glad your dear daughter is there with you and I hope she is well.

I feel so, so bad. Please tell D H, if you would, what a strong and loving impact his mother had on this stranger, during a time I was grieving the loss of my own mother.

When I saw the latest entry on the Baklava thread, I though you were baking. How I wish it was that.

We are all here for you, Cedar. And for D H, vicariously. I still miss you.
 
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nlj

Well-Known Member
Hello Cedar.

How are things?

I'm sorry to read of your sad Christmas this year.

Thinking of you

LucyJ
xx
 

Copabanana

Well-Known Member
Dear Cedar

I hope you and your D H are OK. And D H Mama--she is in my heart. I hope your dear daughter is with you still. And well. And your grandchildren, too. And dear son, too. I send your family love as you face this loss. D H Mama is irreplaceable in this world. She will always live for me.
 
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