At one conference in Mexico, I met Georgia, an exuberant woman from Greece.

The Greeks are credited with developing the technique of using thin layers of dough, known as "phyllo," which means "leaf" in Greek. The introduction of phyllo dough transformed baklava into the delicate, flaky pastry that is now celebrated.

Have you ever picked a blossom from a crepe myrtle tree, squeezed it, and watched it blossom into a beautiful little flower? This year...