There is no better way to bring people

together than with desserts.

–Gail Simmons.

Turks use pistachio as the main

nut in baklava.

Foods do travel. If one goes to an outlet of Kitchen Cuisine or any other bakery in one of the large cities of Pakistan, one sees some new entrees as well behind the glass showcases. One of the most common non-indigenous sweet is baklava; this sweet is popular in the Middle East and Central Asia and Turkey.

The exact origin of baklava is hard to trace. The general perception is that the Assyrians at around 8th century B.C. were the first people who introduced it as a delicacy. In older times the sweet would be baked on special occasions. Baklava was considered a food for the rich until mid-19th century. In Turkey, if one wants to express resentment over ones poor financial condition says, “I am not rich enough to eat baklava and boerek everyday.”

Nevertheless, the history and stories of its origin changed with the history of the land, and it as colourful as the history of the lands of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.