Boozy Baklava had a blast at Granary Row! Bohemian Baklava had the prime spot in the Biergarten with 2 different beer baklavas as well as some savory baklava (called Börek).
I was at GR for only 2 weeks, but it was a fun experience to get in front of people to talk about my punk’d baklava and how I had infused it with the exact beer they were drinking.
Week one, I made up my favorite Baba Black Beer and Chocolate baklava as well as 2 new flavors: Lemon & Cashew, and Banana’s Foster.
Uinta’s 801 Pilsner paired well with citrus and lemon, so I decided to create a baklava that resembled a lemon pie with a middle layer of lemon curd. The cashews added a nice creamy touch to finish it off. The Pilsner syrup and the lemon played well together as the flavors danced in your mouth.
I used Uinta Cutthroat Pale ale to complement the sautéed bananas, walnuts and chocolate. This added richness complemented the sweet banana filling. Using left over filo dough strips, I made little, filled filo cups topped with a crunchy, crinkled filo top. It was explosive to eat as syrup and sweetness oozed with each bite!
Week two brought out Baklava Noir (Black beer & chocolate), Imam Bayildi and Feta & herb Börek. Imam bayildi contains eggplant, tomatoes, and garlic in copious amounts of olive oil. I could sit there and eat the whole tray-eggplant and tomatoes are my absolute favorite combo! Lastly, I made the traditional Feta and herb sprinkled on top with black caraway seeds.
People were pleasantly surprised with the bite sized savories and bought 6 pieces at a time! Their curiosity in my Boozy Beer baklava was definitely in my favor as they tried to guess which beer before I told them which was which. I may have only been at GR for a few weeks, but it was a fun experiment and experience for all who came out to play!
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