Many in Armenia might remember Soviet-era queues stretching to half-empty food stores typical particularly to the days leading to the New Year holidays. They remember, too, Armenian housewives’ burden at least a week before the feast.

Layer on layer, 40 thin sheets, nuts, cinnamon, cardamom, and lastly sweet honey…

The pastries and pakhlava baked by Ruzan Harutyunyan, a resident of one of Yerevan’s suburban districts, are famous among the locals.