Today I embark on a small, yet precarious journey down the path to my favorite Armenian dessert - the one with the shredded wheat like pastry dough and creamy cheesey type filling, which I have now been informed is called - Khadayeef. No I can not pronounce that for you, I can barely spell it (though this rendition I copied from Paree Josh! a collection of treasured Armenian recipes.
My father also loves this dessert and instructed me to consult Grandma Sating "Sally" for her friend Ethel's recipe. Apparently Ethel made THE BEST Kadayeef and why wouldn't she, her name was Ethel which is only the most appropriate name for a grandmother or a friend of your grandmother! I phoned Grandma Sally and she wasn't too much help. She has Ethel's recipe but "it is down the Cape house" so it looks like I am going to try this out through my own research.
First, I need to find Khadayeef dough which apparently resembles shredded wheat. "Can I just buy shredded wheat, Grandma?" "Kimberly! Don't be foolish! Of course not! You must get Khadayeef dough but you are not just going to drive down and find it at the Publix (she lives in Florida with every other person over age 70 of course) you will have to go to Eastern Lamajoon" (a favorite Middle East market in Watertown). So in a few minutes, I will drive the 30 minutes to the market to find this dough that I have no idea what it looks like, and I have no idea how to properly pronounce it when I ask the attendant for help, and I have no idea if it will be marked with its Armenian name or its Turkish name! Ahhhhhhh! If and when I finally secure the correct ingredient, I will return home, stand in front of my stove and weigh my options. The only thing Grandma Sally could remember about the preparation of Khadayeef was that "one thing needs to be hot and one thing needs to be cold." Keskace? Come again? What are you talking about Grandma! "Well either the dough needs to hot and the syrup cold or the dough needs to be cold and the syrup hot when you make it. They can not both be the same temperature or it comes out poor, but I can't remember which way it is supposed to go." Well I have a 50/50 shot of getting it right or getting it shitty, hopefully when that moment of truth arises the bulb will light up over my brain and I will be off and running. Until then we can only pray......
Hi Kim, I'm Ethel's daughter. I have all my mom's recipes written out by her that I cherish. She loved to cooking and was in the kitchen it seemed like 24/7, she was incrediblely talented. My mom and Sally (aunt Sally) back then were friends in Needham Ma. as well as the Cape. I grew up with your aunt and uncles or parent Patti, Dennis and Larry. Love to know how the family is doing, Janis Roubian (Gorman)
ReplyDeleteHello Ms. Janis! Thank you for reaching out! This is fabulous! Grandma Sally is still a firecracker! She lives by herself in Marco Island and with Patti when they are at the Cape house. Dennis is in Phili and in the real estate business. He has two daughters, both are in college. Dad (Larry) and mom moved to northern Florida, they still have a house in Needham where my brother and I live. Patti and I have become the cooks of the family. I have started learning the Armenian recipes from Sally and Patti is fabulous at throwing parties and doing dinners. Patti and Sally still travel the world on cruises and visit friends in California, it is great! Are you still in Needham? It would be fabulous to meet you!
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so happy you responded, I've been trying to reconnect with Patti for so long now. I actually left messages with Larry and Dennis yesterday trying to track her down. I did a search for Sally Maloomian when I came across your link with the words Sally and Ethel which led me to you, aah the wonders of the internet!! I'm living in Florida now and I was thinking of going to my class reunion the 16th of this month in Needham and I wanted to see Patti, actually I'd love for us to go together, then we could meet as well. If you can get a message to her I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd give you my phone and email but I'm not sure if this site is secure if it is let me know. Janis
ReplyDeletehey janis! send me any email to my work: kmaloomian@lifespan.org and i will give you patti's phone number - she will be at the cape on the 16 so i am sure she would go to the reunion with you!
ReplyDeleteThank you, I'll send it now and I hope we get to met while I'm in town. Janis
ReplyDeleteThank you for your help, Patti called and we plan to get together. I hope I get to meet you. Janis
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