National Baklava Day is a holiday that falls on November 17th annually and celebrates a dessert made out of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and soaked in honey. This dessert has been around for hundreds of years and is a common dessert in Arab and Turkish cuisines, as well as in the Balkans, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia.

It also has quite a following in the U.S. and is enjoyed by Americans from coast to coast. That’s probably why this holiday continues to become more popular with each passing year.

The History of Baklava

Not only is the history of National Baklava Day lost, but it’s also very difficult to know exactly when baklava itself was invented. Many historians believe that this dessert originated with the Turkic peoples of Central Asia and may have been enjoyed for hundreds of years. Historians do know when the English name of this dessert, “baklava,” was invented, and that was in 1650.

Choosing a Variety of Baklava

One thing that we’ve noticed is that many people come into contact with a particular type of baklava and then think that’s the only way this dessert can be made. Then they realize that there are hundreds of different variations of this dessert, and their minds are blown.

Although we don’t have the time and space to list every type of baklava available, we wanted to list some of the varieties that we like the most.

• Borma Cashews
• Bukaj Cashews
• Bülbül Yuvası
• Pistachio (Fistikli) Baklava
• Walnut (Cevizli) Baklava
• Balourieh
• Asawer
• Kuru Baklava
• Sütlü Nuriye

As we said, the above list is only a small partial list of the many sweet desserts that are out there nowadays. We bet that if you take a few moments to look around your local grocery store or on the Internet, you’ll find some very interesting baklava varieties that are perfect for this holiday.

Observing National Baklava Day

Anyone looking for a reason to observe this holiday doesn’t need one. Just head down to a grocery store or bakery that sells baklava and buy some for yourself and your family. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might even want to try your hand at making your own. While you’re enjoying these sensational desserts, don’t forget to use the hashtag #NationalBaklavaDay to alert everyone on the Internet to the existence of this holiday.