The great baklava battle

Whether you spell it baklava or baklawa, the layered dessert of sweetened layers of phyllo dough and nuts is nothing short of delicious. I've always been curious to know the the honey-laden treat's origins, especially since I've eaten it in Greek, Israeli and Turkish spots. But as with most delicacies, I'd rather celebrate it in all its diverse forms than stick to one type.

It seems that Turks and Cypriot Greeks take the pastry a tad more seriously, I read recently in Ya Libnan, a Lebanese newspaper. Turkish producers of the treat take issue with the Greeks' claim to have created it. There was even a protest in Istanbul earlier this week complete with banners reading, "Baklava is Turkish, we will not allow the Greek Cypriots to feed it to the world." Upon reading further into the article the plot gets stickier. The paper traces the dessert's origins to the 8th century B.C. when the Assyrians first placed honey and nuts between thin layers of bread dough. It goes on to trace various culture's contributions to the evolution of the baklava, including the Greeks' introduction of parchment thin phyllo dough. Ultimately the writer concludes that the Turks and Greeks should give up their fight and claims Lebanon as the cradle of baklava, since it was once part of the Assyrian empire.

So, what's the connection between Turkey and baklava? Glad you asked. Seems it was a favorite of the sultans and was renowned for its aphrodisiac properties. Pistachio and honey were thought to stir the passions when eaten regularly. In addition, the Turks added gender specific herbs and spices (cinnamon for women, cardamom for men and cloves for both sexes), to heighten the aphrodisiac effects.

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