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This Is The End

Listen to the mortal song This Is The End by Nico.

Is This Not What We Wanted?

We Wanted More Emotion ! Or ?

Last year Barcelona won the league in February, not mathematically, but theoretically, as there was no opponents, they could basically decide when it suited them to celebrate the title (kind of timed due to crucial games in the Champions League). It was almost boring, the title had no emotions, we said at the time. How we were wishing for a strong Madrid to come back, for a Valencia to count on. Now we might not think so anymore. It is never simple enough.

Last year
We remembered the golden times of La Ligas de Tenerife, the titles that were won on the last day of the competition, the very last day and even the very last minute. It was always more due to the failure of the other, rather than by own merit. We remembered how great it felt to almost steal it at the expense of the other. We remember with sentimentality how little we felt for Dukic, who missed that very famous penalty, the one which would have given Deportivo their first ever title, but no he missed it, and Barça who did do their homework won their game and out we all went pouring on the streets in an ecstatic joy. Or those leagues that we won thanks to Tenerife gaining a result against Madrid, that was not once, but twice we won the league in that fashion.
OOOOO how we long for those times, last year, sentimentality was creeping in, the Golden era of the Dream Team, the team that won three out of its four league titles on the last day. But it was never about winning, it was about a certain style, at least at the time, now with Gaspart’s Dark Era in mind, still worn as a scar on the soul we are not so sure anymore. Is it about winning, about humiliating the other or is it about taking sides. How schizophrenic we can be, wishing for all wishes at the same time, causing some kind of a mental crash. Last year was so last year, while we got bored with that, it somehow would have felt quite good to have the title in port, the suffering now is unbearable. How does boredom compare to suffering? Or is it not suffering we are used to? Should we not feel not swim in the sea that feels familiar? But remember with el culé nothing is normal and everything is normal. While yesterday seems better, tomorrow seems obscure and the future dark.

Backlawa or Balaklava

Baklawa

Ingredients:

Syrup:
3 cups sugar, or 2 cups sugar and 1 cup honey
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon (optional)
4 to 6 whole cloves, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)

Filling:
1 pound blanched almonds, pistachios, walnuts, or any combination, finely chopped or coarsely ground (about 4 cups)
1/4 cup sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or cardamom (optional)

1 pound (about 24 sheets) phyllo dough
About 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter or vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. To make the syrup: Stir the sugar, water, lemon juice, and if using, the corn syrup, cinnamon sticks, and/or cloves over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and cook until the mixture is slightly syrupy, about 5 minutes (it will register 225 degrees on a candy thermometer). Discard the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Let cool.


2. To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-by-9-inch or 13-by-9-inch baking pan or 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan.

4. Place a sheet of phyllo in the prepared pan and lightly brush with butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets. Spread with half of the filling. Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Use any torn sheets in the middle layer. Spread with the remaining nut mixture and end with a top layer of 8 sheets, continuing to brush each with butter. Trim any overhanging edges.

5. Using a sharp knife, cut 6 equal lengthwise strips (about 1 3/4 inches wide) through the top layer of pastry. Make 1 1/2-inch-wide diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes.

6. Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water. This inhibits the pastry from curling. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 15 additional minutes.

7. Cut through the scored lines. Drizzle the cooled syrup slowly over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. If the baklava dries out while being stored, drizzle with a little additional hot syrup.

Preparing the turkish coffee:



The End: