With social media’s system of liking, tagging and updating posts, sharing information has never been easier. Thanks to the variety of links I see posted, a scroll through my Facebook feed usually leads to a game of internet hopscotch, with me jumping from news stories to YouTube to online shopping in a matter of minutes. By the time I’m finished, I have 27 web browser tabs open, my credit card is melting, and I could tell you what my former neighbor’s daughter’s daughter ate for lunch.

  And, since I work at a desk all day, by the end of the week I’m over technology and am starving for human interaction. Though social media has provided an ease of access to information, I still prefer sharing stories with actual people, especially when it comes to food. Restaurant reviews, product recommendations and recipes are best straight from the source, especially because most have a story behind them.

  My friend Molly often brings treats into the office that she throws together with whatever is in her kitchen and they are always delicious. Her baklava is one of my favorites; she often experiments with different ratios of ingredients – based on what’s in the cupboard – and I think she’s nailed it with this combination. My cool story behind this version of the dish is that Molly’s mother is a beekeeper, and the honey I used is from her farm in Moravia, New York.

Baklava

Courtesy of Molly Mullahy

½ cup water

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ¼ cup honey (I used Sunswick Farm’s Star Thistle honey)

1-16 oz.package phyllo dough

8 oz. walnuts

6 oz. almonds

2 oz. salted sunflower seeds

¾ cup butter, melted

½ cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

  In a medium saucepan, whisk together honey and water. Boil until sugar is dissolved. Lower heat and add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter the bottoms and sides of a 13”x9” pan.

In a food processor, pulse together nuts, cinnamon and nutmeg until finely chopped. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp cloth to keep from drying out as you work (and work quickly!) Place two sheets of dough in the pan, and brush thoroughly with butter mixture. Repeat until you have a total of eight sheets layered. Top with 2 to 3 tablespoons of nut mixture. Place two sheets of dough on top of nut layer, thoroughly brush with butter mixture, and sprinkle with two to three tablespoons of nut mixture. Repeat the process until you have about eight sheets remaining. Over final nut layer, top with two layers of phyllo dough, brush with butter, and continue to alternate the process until finished. Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp. Remove from oven and immediately pour sauce over the top, allowing to seep into the cuts of the pastry. Serve warm or at room temperature. •