Blog Archives
St. David Juniors Visit Orlando
On Friday, March 1, 2013, under the guidance of Hayr Soorp Nareg Berberian, the altar servers and the preteens of St. David Armenian Church along with the parents took a trip to Orlando. Nearly 35 people participated on the journey. The group stayed at the Lake Eve Resort on Universal Drive. On Friday evening, they visited Disney Downtown. Then on Saturday, the group spent the entire day at the Universal Studios’ Islands of Adventure. The trip was a great opportunity for the children and parents to grow their bonds as parishioners of St. David Armenian Church.
Although it was a rather cold day for Florida, the group had a wonderful time getting to know each other better and enjoyed the thrills of Orlando’s amusement parks. Afterwards, it was decided that the group would take another trip in April to Key West.
Basimet: An Armenian Treat
By Robyn & Doug Kalajian
FLArmenians Cuisine Contributors
The choir at St. David Armenian Church, Boca Raton, FL recently hosted their annual Armenian Christmas brunch after services. One of the featured menu items was Basimet – a cross between simit and chorag, according to my friend (and choir member) Louise Apoian, who was kind enough to share her family’s recipe. (Spellings vary, so one might find the recipe listed as ‘basimit’ or ‘Bah Simit’.) Louise’s recipe was handed down from her aunt, Voco Kalafian, originally from Marsivan.
Apoian Family’s Basimet
Baskets of basimet and platters of Armenian string cheese kept eager parishioners’ hunger at bay until the brunch was actually served. Somewhat sweeter than chorag, the basimet, along with the slightly salty shreds of cheese, were a welcome treat for our taste buds and tummies!
Here is the Apoian family’s recipe for Basimet:
Ingredients:
1 cup melted margarine or butter
1 ¼ c. sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs
About 6 to 7 cups flour, sifted (Louise uses pre-sifted flour to save time!)
2 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top of egg wash, optional
Directions:
1. Melt butter (or margarine); allow to cool a bit.
2. Add sugar and milk to the melted butter; stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture into a large bowl; beat in eggs.
3. In a separate bowl, add 5 cups of the sifted flour and the rest of the dry ingredients.
4. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients, adding more of the flour as needed to create a dough that is not sticky and easy to handle.
5. Pinch off walnut-sized pieces of dough, roll into ropes, and twist. NOTE: The basimet can also be braided, made into S-shapes, circles, etc.
6. Place basimet pieces onto parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash; sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
7. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
This article originally appeared on http://www.TheArmenianKitchen.com.
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