No Res, Day 4: The Baklava Revelation!

A refreshing apple-spearmint tea with delicate rose pistachio macaroons was an uplifting start for the Mediterranean theme of the day.

We began by making baklava. Now, going in, I had a pre-conceived notion that I did not like baklava. A long time back, a friend of mine had brought some for me from a trip abroad. I had tried it and found it too rich and rose-y. Had that been baklava, or was it Turkish delight…? Either way, I’d made my mind up about not liking baklava. And while I decided that I would make it in the spirit of learning, I would not take my share back home to devour.

Making the Baklava

An hour later, when our little (triangular version - easier to make at home) pieces of confectionary had come out of the oven and cooled, I took a bite… and got addicted. This version of ours had much less rose water, much less sugar syrup, and was a crisp, nutty delight. The nut and sugar mixture of the filling had gotten just a little caramelized, which made it simply divine!

Baklava just out of the oven, with caramelized filling oozing out

Baklava garnished with sliced pistachio

Goes to show, you should never write off anything, especially food, based on a half-baked (pun not intended) memory of disliking it. It also goes to show that making something yourself really can make ALL the difference, as you can change things around to suit your tastes.

In contrast to this rich and heavy dessert, the dishes that followed were light, refreshing, and zesty. -- salads, couscous and a tagine, all of which were relished for lunch, followed by a mezze platter that included the iconic hummus, baba ghanoush, tzatziki, and falafels! Not to forget, they were also much lower in calories -- something everyone was happy to hear after a few days of deliciously sinful indulgence!

Fattoush Salad 

Hummus with Pita bread