Photo by Avlxyz, Flickr

The origins of Baklava are not really all that well documented, but most people will agree that the dessert is considered Greek today.  Baklava’s distinctive feature is that it”s made with honey instead of refined sugar.

The pecan tree is the only major nut tree variety that grows in North America naturally, and it is also considered the most valuable. Pecan is an Algonquin word meaning, “all nuts requiring a stone to crack.

Related State Legislature: Texas State Health Nut
The pecan was designated the state nut by the 77th Texas Legislature in 2001.” - From the Texas Almanac

Related State Legislature: Texas State Health Nut
“The Act no. 82-17,adopted in 1982, made the pecan the Alabama State Nut.

Baklava

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Ingredients

• 3 to 4 cups chopped pecans
• 2 8-ounce cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Glaze:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Unroll one can of dough into two long rectangles.
3. Place in ungreased 9×13 pan, press over bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides to form the crust. Firmly press perforations to seal.
4. Bake at 350 °F for 5 minutes. Remove from oven.
5. In large bowl, combine pecans, 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Mix well.
6. Spoon nut mixture evenly over partially baked crust.
7. Unroll remaining can of dough into a two long rectangles, and place over nut mixture, press out to edges of pan. With tip of sharp knife, score the dough with 5 lengthwise and 7 diagonal markings to form diamond-shaped pieces.
8. In a small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients. Bring to a boil.
9. Spoon half of the glaze evenly over dough.
10. Bake at 350 ° F for an additional 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Spoon remaining glaze evenly over hot baklava.
12. Cool 1 hour or wait until completely cooled, then refrigerate 30 minutes, or until thoroughly chilled.
13. Cut into diamond-shaped pieces and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Cindy Wise, Texas Pecan Growers Association, a non-profit organization that assists growers, and educates the public.

Tasty Baklava for You

Pecans are the only major nut tree variety that grows in North America naturally, and it is also considered the most valuable.  Pecan is an Algonquin word meaning, “all nuts requiring a stone to crack.”

Respective Legislature:

State Health Nut: The pecan was designated the state nut by the 77th Legislature in 2001.”
From the Texas Almanac
“The Act no. 82-17,adopted in 1982, made the pecan the Alabama State Nut

Pecan Soup

Cooking and Preparation Time: 45 Minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 stick butter
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoons pureed tomato
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Grind pecans with broth in blender.
2. Melt butter in large sauce pan, add onions and cook five minutes over medium heat until soft.
3. Add garlic and cook one minute.
4. Slowly add nut/broth mixture, tomato puree and cornstarch.
5. Cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, on low heat.
6. Beat egg yolk into cream and slowly whisk into soup; do not boil after this point.
7. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and serve.

About this Recipe:

Recipe courtesy of Cindy Wise, Texas Pecan Growers Association, a non-profit organization that assists growers, and educates the public.

Delicious Pecan Treats for You

In the hot summer months cool off with the icy blackberry sorbet. It”s a great way to cool down and take advantage of blackberries while they”re in season.

About This Recipe

Related State Legislature.

Senate Bill 163 designated the Blackberry, Rubus, R. occidentalis, as the official fruit of the State of Alabama.”

“The blackberry is named and designated as the official fruit of Kentucky. Effective: July 13, 2004. Created 2004 Ky. Acts ch. 114, sec. 1, effective July 13, 2004.

Blackberry Sorbet

(Sorbete de Zarzamora)
State Fruit of Alabama and Kentucky

Cooking and Preparation Time: 10 hours

Servings: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1-1/2 pounds frozen unsweetened blackberries, thawed, juices reserved
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 small watermelon
• 16 fresh blackberries

Directions

1. Stir sugar and 1 cup water in small saucepan.
2. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil 1 minute.
3. Transfer syrup to large bowl. Chill until syrup is cold, about 3 hours.
4. Working in batches, pureé blackberries with juices and cold syrup in blender until smooth.
5. Strain into another large bowl; discard seeds.
6. Stir in lemon juice.
7. Process berry mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer”s instructions. Transfer sorbet to container; cover and freeze until firm, about 6 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.)
8. Using large spoon, scoop out flesh from a watermelon, leaving the rind intact and forming bowl (reserve melon for another use or serve alongside the sorbet, if desired).
9. Drain excess juice from watermelon bowl.
10. Cover and chill watermelon bowl until cold.
11. Scoop sorbet into watermelon bowl, and garnish with fresh blackberries.

Delicious Blackberries for You

Photo courtesy of Mike Dierken

Blackberries and Blackberry Folklore

Blackberries are a hearty vine.  Their thorns protect them from wildlife that would otherwise eat their fruit. However, one of the recent hybrids, the Triple Crown, is thornless. With or without modern variations though, the blackberry has been a popular plant for centuries.

The Greeks and Romans both used them for medicinal purposes, and popular English folklore prohibits the eating of blackberries after the 29th of September. It is said that on that day, St. Michaelmas, the devil comes by and tramples on the blackberries making them inedible. The legend probably developed, because blackberries are in season from May to August, and by late September the berries have gone moldy or rotted on the vines.

Related Legislature.

Senate Bill 163 designated the Blackberry, Rubus, R. occidentalis, as the official fruit of the State of Alabama.”

“The blackberry is named and designated as the official fruit of Kentucky. Effective: July 13, 2004
History: Created 2004 Ky. Acts ch. 114, sec. 1, effective July 13, 2004.”

Blackberry Pie

Alabama and Kentucky State Fruit

Ingredients for the Blackberry Pie

• 3 cups blackberries
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tbls flour
• 1 tbls grated lemon rind
• 4 tbls butter

Directions on making the Blackberry Pie

1. Combine flour, sugar and lemon rind.
2. Add mixture to the blackberries.
3. Using your favorite pie crust, line the pie tin with crust.
4. Dot with 2 tablespoons of butter and pour in the blackberries.
5. Cover with a top lattice crust.
6. Bake in a hot oven (400F) for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce to 325F and bake 20 to 30 minutes more.

-Recipe from Larriland Farm, a pick-your-own family-run farm founded in Maryland in 1973

Delicious Blackberry Dessert Ingredients