Records of this ancient Greek pastry date back to 300 BC. Today it is still a most beloved sweet treat throughout many Mediterranean countries and beyond.
The nutritional benefits from nuts and honey, along with low-calorie filo dough make this a very healthy dessert that is surprisingly easy to put together. The best filo dough for this recipe can be found at BM and should be paper-thin from the Filo Factory brand, white or whole wheat kinds work great.
Ingredients
For a 9X13 baking pan and approximately 20 portions
16oz filo dough
500 grams of nuts of your choice (walnuts, almonds, shelled pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans)
1/4 cup of ground pistachios or other nut for garnish
1/4 cup of sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
1 pinch of ground cloves
1 and 1/2 to 2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted (vegan option: use coconut oil)
For honey syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup of cold water
1 cup of honey (vegan option: agave nectar)
1 inch strip orange or lime peel
5 whole cloves
1 stick of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of lime juice
Instructions
Make syrup by melting sugar in water under low heat and adding the peel, cloves, cinnamon and simmer for 20 minutes until fragrant. Add lime juice and simmer for 5 more minutes. Set aside to cool.
Place nuts in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Mix with sugar, powdered cinnamon, powdered cloves and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F degrees (or 175C).
Generously butter the 9X13 baking pan.
Assemble the baklava by brushing melted butter between each layer of filo and layering one third of sheets onto bottom of pan (each filo sheet folded in half should fit perfectly inside the pan). Cover with 1/2 mixture of nuts and repeat layering the next third of filo sheets brushing melted butter between each layer. Cover with final 1/2 of the nut mixture and finish the filo and brush melted butter in between layers until there are none left.
Cut diamond shapes with a sharp knife before baking just like in photo. The knife doesn’t need to go all the way to bottom.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Once cooked it is very important to slowly pour the syrup on top immediately while cake is hot (you should hear a delightful crackling sound). Sprinkle the tops with the ground pistachios or any other garnish of your choice.
The baklava should sit for a while before serving. It has a long shelf life and can even be frozen.
On December 13, 1970 when my wife Diane, our 4-year-old daughter Natalie, and I, accompanied on our flight by 37 head of cattle, arrived at El Coco International Airport (SJO) on a DC 6 four-engine propeller plane, we thought that we would be staying for four months, the duration of my work contract. We never dreamed that on December 13, 2020 we would be celebrating 50 years in Costa Rica.
The country where we had landed had a population of less than two million and was considered to be part of the Third World. The Central Bank had reserves of less than one million dollars. The exchange rate was ¢6.63 colones per $1.00 dollar. Not knowing anything about the money, or anything else, I went to a bakery to buy a loaf of bread and paid with a ¢50 colon bill, but they didn’t have change for a huge bill like that. The price of the bread was 50 centimos. To make a call from a public phone, you had to put a peseta, a 25 centimo coin, in the slot, dial your number, wait for the peseta to drop, and start talking.
Welcome back to the Quepolandia. What a breath of fresh air! In 20 years of writing for this publication I have never been edited or advised on a topic. My writing meanderings have been, some would say, all over the road. My original Health is Wealth column, followed by the current Memoirs scribbles in which you are reading now, have always been opinions, observations, and desires for our awesome jungle living, beach going, sunset watching community. However we now live in a peculiar new world that has taken everyone by surprise and YES, we have finally reached 2021. My editor and chief Mr. Dave Bolger finally interjected in my writing process and had one simple direction for me to run with this month. “Please make it positive,” was all he said. In mid-March our community, and a large part of the world, was wrung up with a collective noose which continues to cinch our realities today. It is time to reignite the best part of being human which is simply living in the gift of life which is today.
Welcome to the January installment of That’s Fishin and from the entire Sportfishing community here in Quepos, a huge Happy New Year from our family to yours, we are delighted to have you here with us and hope to see you on the water!
Whilst COVID lockdowns seemed to give the entire planet a well needed rest, we certainly saw the results closer to home in our fishery. Casting our minds back to May, June, & July of 2020, while Costa Rican borders were closed and there was very little pressure on the ocean, we experienced what was simply the best Sailfish bite we have seen in Quepos for some years. Recalling one trip aboard my boat GOOD DAY, we released 26 Sailfish, 2 Wahoo, and a handful of Tuna. Now that was one heck of a day for sure but the crazy thing was, boats were going out and catching those kinds of numbers on a daily basis! For 3 years running now we have had an excellent ‘off season’ bite happening May-July, we are hoping it happens again this year and if you love fishing, it is definitely worth considering a trip back here during those months to see if it happens again.
Welcome back Quepolandia Readers and Welcome Spokeskid Dani!
Quepolandia being up and running is the sign that life will get back to normal!!
Kids Saving the Rainforest has been working like crazy to stay open since the last time we wrote.
KSTR has made sure that the wildlife came first and our human crew sacrificed a lot. Financially KSTR could only pay 50% of salaries and many worked more than full time just to be sure the wildlife didn’t suffer from the consequences Covid-19. Help us re-open our rescue center, by following Dani’s great suggestions below.
Hello Quepolandia! My name is Dani, and I will be your new Spokeskid for Kids Saving the Rainforest! I am 7 years old, and this is my first article—I hope you enjoy it.
Before we talk about KSTR, a little about me: I love animals! My favorite kind of animal is a horse. We have 2 dogs at home, Dozer (a pound puppy who is now 11 years old), and Tiny (a French Bulldog puppy who is 6 months old). My favorite animal native to Costa Rica is the Howler Monkey, because I like how big they are. For hobbies, I like to surf, do gymnastics, horseback riding, and I love to bake.
If you’re new to KSTR, it’s a place where we keep wildlife in our Sanctuary that could not return back to the wild due to injuries or permanent medical issues that need care. But our goal is to always release them back into the wild.
While we can’t speak for the entire world, I think it is safe to say that never has a new year been welcome with as much hope, excitement, and communal sense of “good riddance” to the year we are leaving behind! 2020 was a challenge for the entire world and the family at the Marina, we are incredibly proud to have been a beacon of hope for our collaborators, our boat owners, and community at large. While 2020 was a year to endure for so many in our community, the hardest of times also brings out the BEST in us all as individuals, as a community, and as a project. Seeing the generosity, entrepreneurial spirit, resiliency, and love in our community has made us all remember just why it is we have chosen to live or visit this magical part of the world, and to be thankful during this 2021 ahead for the blessings which are part of anyone lucky enough to be reading this magazine and our updates.
So, onward and upward and there is PLENTY to be excited about in this fresh start in 2021.
Bienvenidos…Welcome 2021. We are so pleased for the New Year and getting back to normal, even if it’s a new one. 2020 showed us how fragile life can be and to be thankful. Not to take life for granted. Everyday is a gift, so today open the day with an adventure of your life.
Life is what you do…. Live it
Our magazine is filled with the best the area has to offer. Try something new this year. Our sport fishing is stronger than ever. Whether it’s onshore or offshore Marina Pez Vela has everything you need to catch your dream and an incredible sunset with delicious cocktails, not to mention some of the best ice cream at Gelateria Amorosi. Want to party like a rockstar? Then get to Marina Pez Vela January16-17 to kick off the Sport fishing Tournament season for the 5th Annual Pelagic Rockstar Tournament. Always a Great time.
Experience zip lining or explore the jungle canopy with Titi Canopy or Hacienda Barù. Want a great way to explore the waterfalls, Nauyaca Waterfall Nature Park provides the best way to enjoy these amazing falls. Just chillin at the beach try parasailing with Aguas Azules. You could also hike some of the most beautiful National Parks in the world. The wildlife has been waiting for you. Looking for the bowl games and the NFL action, Jolly Roger has them on the big screens along with awesome wings and live music. So get out there and let Pura Vida lifestyle set the pace for an INCREDIBLE 2021.
We want to thank Real Media Ninja for our Mermaid cover. We are always looking for great cover shot so send your best shots to info@quepolandia.com and hopefully make the cover.
We would also like to welcome our new advertisers, Hello Hemp & La Bodega Tica.
We hope you enjoy our magazine and it helps guide you through this enchanting paradise we call home. You can always follow and share us here or on Facebook/Quepolandia. We appreciate and welcome your comments.
We are extremely happy to report that after a 9 month shutdown, there WILL be a January issue. If you want to be included in it Deadline is now! Please send us an email as soon as possible at info@quepolandia.com. We wish everyone Peace, Love, Health, and Tourists in the upcoming season.
The jacanas are a group of wetland birds, which are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. In Jamaica this bird is also known as the ‘Jesus bird’, as it appears to walk on water.
The Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) has a dark brown body with a black head and neck. In addition, its bill has yellow patches and its forehead has a yellow wattle. Its bill has a white base. When a jacana is in flight, its yellowish-green primary and secondary feathers are visible. Also visible are yellow bony spurs on the leading edge of the wings, which it can use to defend itself and its young. The greenish color of the wing feathers is produced by a pigment, rather rare in birds, called zooprasinin, a copper-containing organic compound.
What a total blast we have had during our fishing tournament festivities & high season craziness over the past month! The Quepos fishing fleet have been busy providing Offshore and Inshore charters to tourists from all around the world and some magical fishing has been taking place for sure.
The offshore bite during the first weeks of March was nothing short of phenomenal with huge numbers of Sailfish and Tuna keeping our Anglers busy. Many boats got into coveted double digit Sailfish release days and some boats even caught as many as 20 Sailfish in a single day’s fishing, simply amazing fishing wherever you are in the world.
There has been a wide open Tuna bite happening from December through March and we expect this to continue through April. Livebaits have been accounting for many of the larger fish, however, Squidnation Squids, Bass worms, and all manner of Jigs have been catching solid sized Tuna also. We have had lots of fish in the 20-80lb range with regular fish in the 100lb plus category also BUT there is always a much bigger fish lurking down there somewhere and maybe, just maybe, you could be the lucky angler!
“Keeping the blues alive at sea!” That was our mantra–our mission–our goal—our obsession for a week or so in February when 9 of us music lovers from Dominical got on a big ole’ ocean liner in Miami and floated away to the sounds of the Blues. I’m not gushing about this cruise because I bought stock in the damn boat or anything, and I am kind of amazed at my own enthusiasm for the whole trip, but it was SERIOUSLY BIG FUN!! Guitarist, singer and songwriter Joe Bonamassa is the driving force behind not only the Blues Cruises, but the Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to the next generation of young, talented musicians.
At a time when school music programs are being cancelled, the NEA is being de-funded by Trump, and people don’t have health insurance, it’s a breath of fresh air to know that there are still people out there raising money to offset the loss of arts funding in America. Mental and physical health is always improved by exposure to music, and there are so many benefits to music education—I harp about this subject all the time. Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation was created in 2011 and since then they have funded over 350 music projects, affecting over 60,000 students, and they have donated over $400,000 to educators, festivals, scholarships and Blues related events.
4 Easy Ways to Choose a Colour Scheme For Any Room or Your Whole House
Building a new house in Costa Rica is an exciting venture for many of us. Sometimes it is our first custom home—our dream home.
There are always so many details to think about and many decisions to be made it can be confusing. One of the first decisions will be the floor colour. What size and what colour tile do I use? This is hard if you have not selected your whole house colours yet. Selecting items piece by piece does not make for a cohesive flow through a home.
Choosing an interior designer is an obvious choice. They can work with you on just your colour scheme and you do the rest, but they can also help you to coordinate all your furnishings, art and décor to work together beautifully. This is especially helpful if you are not here all the time.
If you prefer to take the reins and try doing it yourself here are some helpful ideas.
There are different options for the way this can be done:
Traditionally, the colour palette would be selected by using the designer’s “Colour Wheel”.
You can look at artwork and fabric you like to find pleasing combinations.
You can look to nature – there you will find beautiful colours and no end of inspiration.
You can also look at other rooms online or in a friend’s home to get ideas, or you can just choose your favourite colours and go from there.
If you are a surfer and either are living in Quepos or Manuel Antonio, or just traveling through, sometimes you may want a different wave to ride. You could go south to Dominical if you want bigger waves at a beach break, or check out any one of the beaches from Isla Damas north to Bejuco. But Esterillos Oeste, the last major exit before Playa Hermosa, has two things the rest don’t—a rocky point break and a giant mermaid statue.
This rocky point is at the far north end of the beach. It is actually a patch of rocky ‘fingers’ that stretch out into the ocean. The rocks make the wave break more evenly and also increase the power of the wave in some spots. The best part is when the waves are double overhead or bigger, they can break REALLY far out—like 300-400 meters out—and although they are huge and lumpy, with a bigger board a surfer can ride the wave almost all the way in. The point set up also offers a way for the surfer to dodge the bigger waves that come in while they are trying to paddle out.
Records of this ancient Greek pastry date back to 300 BC. Today it is still a most beloved sweet treat throughout many Mediterranean countries and beyond.
Ingredients
Instructions
fishing community here in Quepos, a huge Happy New Year from our family to yours, we are delighted to have you here with us and hope to see you on the water!
Hello Quepolandia! My name is Dani, and I will be your new Spokeskid for Kids Saving the Rainforest! I am 7 years old, and this is my first article—I hope you enjoy it.
Bienvenidos…Welcome 2021. We are so pleased for the New Year and getting back to normal, even if it’s a new one. 2020 showed us how fragile life can be and to be thankful. Not to take life for granted. Everyday is a gift, so today open the day with an adventure of your life.
