Baklava

Baklava is a sweet, sticky pastry made of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. The current form was developed in the kitchens of the sultans of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul. We figured that while we were in Istanbul we had to try it, to see if they make it better in the home of origin than in the United States. And they do. We had baklava many times on our trip, but the best was in Istanbul just a few blocks away from Topkapi Palace across from the Grand Bazaar. Judy happened upon a pastry shop and purchased some baklava smothered in pistachios.

Wow, it was decadent. It was heavier and more sticky than any baklava we've had. And the sweet factor blasted off the top of the scales. A small piece was all we could handle.

But we went back to the same shop the next day and ordered a box of it to take with us on the ship.

It was that good.