Karakoy Gulluoglu Baklava Shop

KARAKOY GULLUOGLU BAKLAVA SHOP

While in Istanbul, I had the privilege of visiting Karakoy Gulluoglu, the world-famous baklava bakery. If baklava is a symbol of Turkey, then Karakoy Gulluoglu is a symbol of baklava. In November 2004, a jury of gourmets and food authors sponsored by the daily newspaper "Hürriyet", chose the store as the top baklava shop in Turkey.

Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry found in many Middle East and Mediterranean cuisines. The popular dessert comes in several varieties. The most common is made in layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped pistachio nuts and walnuts and sweetened with sugar or honey.

Several cultures and ethnic groups claim to have invented baklava, including the Turks. Many say baklava has a special place among Turkish sweets. I do know that baklava has a special place in my stomach. When you taste a piece, it is almost impossible to resist taking another… and another.

Gulluoglu claims to produce 70,000 pieces of baklava per day. Our group alone seemed to consume that much :-D

The care that goes into making the dessert is astounding. Gulluoglu purchases each ingredient in its prime season. The pistachios come from Gaziantep; the walnuts from Karahisar. They choose the sugar beets from dry regions in order not to soften the baklava. The butter comes from the Urfa plateau. They even check weather conditions daily; if the weather is warm, the dough needs to be kneaded more thoroughly.

To paraphrase and butcher an old song written by Guy Clark:
"Turkish baklava, Turkish baklava
What would life be without Turkish baklava
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and Turkish baklava"