• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • recipes
  • drink
  • dining out

The Delicious Life logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • recipes
  • drink
  • dining out
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • recipes
    • drink
    • dining out
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » piece prize - baklava from nobel bakery

    March 2005 Uncategorized

    piece prize - baklava from nobel bakery

    nobel bakery
    5638 cahuenga blvd
    north hollywood, ca 91601
    818.754.1114

    baklava, that sweet flaky pastry made from layers of phyllo dough, chopped nuts, spices, and drenched in honey, has always confused me a little. which cuisine does it belong to, where did it come from, and why does it make people (particularly women) crazy?

    Without getting into the sexy details of baklava's long history, let's just suffice it to say that there is a reason why the pastry made it to the top of the favorites list of turkish sultans with their very large harems. walnuts and honey, two major ingredients in baklava, are aphrodisiacs! and spices weren't just mixed in with the nuts for flavor, they were carefully added to boost the aphrodisiac-ness of baklava. supposedly cinnamon does it for the women, cardamom for the guys, and cloves for everyone! someone give me a chai tea with that baklava!


    baklava made with walnuts

    another phyllo pastry

    a tray of gorgeous phyllo pastries from nobel bakery in north hollywood turned the office into a veritable asylum today, though no one was quite stripping down in their cubicles. there were two kinds of triangular baklava, one made with walnuts, and the other made with pistachios. the other two kinds of pastries didn't have any kind of nut filling, just sprinkled with crushed pistachios, so i'm not sure that they are tehcnically considered baklava. everything was drenched in sweet syrup, though it didn't taste like honey. one non-nut-filled pastry was rolled like a little phyllo taquito, and the other was shaped like baby beggar's purses (with nothing inside). all were the perfect balance of flaky, crispy, crunchy and sticky; and yes, i did have one of each. i've only ever had pistachios in baklava, so the walnuts were a first for me, and i prefer the former.

    So just for the sake of the little nerd inside me, a little research clears some of the confusion about baklava appearing in greek, armenian, turkish, and persian cuisines. way back in the day of what i think would be called the fertile crescent (how's that for 10th grade western civ?) the assyrians baked baklava's original ancestors, thin layers of bread filled with chopped nuts. greek sailors swiped the recipe, took it back to their homeland and re-interpreted baklava. they changed the pastry from bread to the thin, leaf-like layers we are accustomed to, the phyllo, which means "leaf" in greek. from 300 b.c. on, with all the trade and travel, baklava made its way across borders to other cultures. the armenians added cinnamon and cloves, and the persians added rose water and cardamom. and the rest, they say, is culinary history.

    You May Also Like...

    • Baklava from Mrs. Todd's Mom
      Baklava from Mrs. Todd's Mom
    • Baklava and the New Idea of American "Family"
      Baklava and the New Idea of American "Family"
    • Susina Bakery, Los Angeles - Oh, Susina, Don't You Cry for Me
      Susina Bakery, Los Angeles - Oh, Susina, Don't You Cry for…
    « Victor Jr.'s Pizza, Culver City - The Hotelling Phenomenon in Eatonomics
    dining room optional - beechwood restaurant »

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Debbie W. says

      March 18, 2005 at 9:04 pm

      Hi, if you like baklava, definitely check out Flor de Cafe bakery which is on Colorado Blvd. in Glendale, just a tad east of Glendale Ave. (also east of Brand). This bakery and sort-of-grocery boasts an awe-inspiring array of goodies.

      Reply
    2. Lateaseetta says

      February 06, 2007 at 7:39 pm

      This place has the BEST baklava I have ever tasted. It is made with pistachios and honey and is not at all soggy and I have not laid lips on anything better before or since. Sunnin Lebanese Café - 1779 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
      (310) 477-2358

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published.

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    if you shop on Amazon starting from here, TDL gets a teeny tiny affiliate commission!

    just a regular ol' ad

    Recent Posts

    quinoa tabbouleh with kale and cherries

    Quinoa Tabbouleh recipe with Kale and Cherries

    Latkes and Smoked Salmon Platter Recipe

    Cranberry, White Cheddar, Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

    pomegranate salsa in glass bowl with poemgranate seeds and lemon wedges on side

    Pomegranate Salsa [recipe]

    Copyright © 2022 · The Delicious Life