Double delight

While we were traveling in Cappadocia, my husband and kids, who had stayed in Istanbul, decided to explore some of the "culinary backstreets" of Istanbul (a reference to a book I found a few weeks ago). I have long known that Güllüoğlu is considered by many to be Istanbul's best baklava, but haven't ever ventured out to their store in Karaköy to get the full baklava experience. Paul and the kids went while we were gone, though, and had a great time. They said in front of the store there were a lot of tables where people were eating. From a distance they just thought it was a cafe, but as they approached they realized that everyone was eating the same thing ... baklava!!! Inside the store two walls were packed with a variety of types of baklava for sale. They sifted through the choices and eventually opted for chocolate walnut (for Paul and Aydin) and pistachio (for Cait). Happily for the rest of us, they brought home a box of each and arranged to host dinner for half the group on each of the next two nights, so we were all able to get the full benefit of the baklava excursion.

Today the family and Rebecca were near the covered bazaar (most of the rest of the group had gone either to a beach on the Black Sea or shopping with Betul) headed for the booksellers' bazaar (more on that later), when I glanced up and noticed there was a branch of Güllüoğlu right there! Of course the kids charged right in, and we decided to get some baklava to take home. Since I hadn't been there before I started looking through the options for baklava. Sometimes I forget how much of the world here is comprehensible to me simply because of my knowledge of Turkish, and similarly how much my fellow travelers miss. I immediately spotted what seemed like an impossibility. Could it be? Kaymakli baklava??? Some of our regular readers may remember my previous post about kaymak, a sort of Turkish clotted cream made from buffalo milk. Lo and behold! Baklava with kaymak inside. This seemed like an impossibly rich concoction until I remembered Ali encouraging some of the group to spread kaymak on their baklava when we went to iftar at the gallery. Once Rebecca and the rest of the family understood what I was seeing, they were all keen to try it out. We had some after dinner tonight, and it was amazing! I had expected it to be horribly rich but happily the bakers seem to use a light hand with the honey and hold off on the walnuts entirely, so it actually works.

It's most unfortunate that kaymak spoils so quickly, or I'd bring some of this double delight home for our readers. Instead you are left to your own imagination. Sorry to disappoint you all. Perhaps you'll come to Turkey sometime? Barring that, though, we discovered today that Güllüoğlu has a branch in Los Angeles (Granada Hills to be precise). Who knew??? Road trip anyone?