How Sweet It Is…
The common saying is that chocolate or sweets are the way to a woman’s heart. Well I am not a woman, but one things I cherish most in life are sweets. Whether it is a piece of candy or a thick slice of chocolate moist cake, the craving is always there. I guess I have my mom to thank for this due to the fact that she is one of the best bakers/cooks that I have come across in my lifetime. This might seem like a bias opinion but most of my friends would agree. This presented a challenge for me coming to Cyprus due to the new variety of sweets that I would become exposed to. Where would I get my Baby Ruth’s or Snickers Bars from? Well turns out that Cyprus is not as removed from American culture as I once believed. You will find Snickers and Skittles, but I have yet to find my beloved Baby Ruth’s.
So what would fill the wide void left by a long time favorite? Oddly enough, Cyprus is well known for its baked goods. Every day, one of the members from our group wonders down to the local bakery, usually to get a sweet fixing.
As a group, we went to a traditional Cypriot confectionary to see how these tasty sweets were made. Once we arrived, we met the owners who were father and son. The generosity of these men baffled me due to the language barrier that separated our two cultures.
My group was not filming today so I sat back and observed what was going on. I am not going to lie… The night before was a long one so I was glad the responsibility was not on my team’s shoulders. As I watched the owners putting in so much time into their baked goods, it made me wonder as an American why we don’t put as much time and consideration into making something instead of focusing on convenience. With every flakey strip they put down they would brush on a honey syrup. I saw him at least put down 20 strips which is mind boggling considering the small amount that one tray makes. But this is not what they worry about. Quality over quantity is their main objective, as it should be.
As the shoot ended, the owners insisted on letting us try some of their sweets. They cut up a freshly baked Baklava and let all of us indulge in a piece of heaven. It was by far the best Baklava that I have ever had. Many other pastries were being made, but by far my favorite was one in the shape of a triangle with cream coming out of the top. If you cannot already tell, I like sweets.
When it was time to leave I decided to grab a pastry to go so that I could remember the wonderful experience that I had the day before. Its hard coming from a culture where 24 hour bakeries do not exist. We are use to picking up desserts in Kroger or Fresh Market where speed is the key to quick money. Another key quality that I have learned to appreciate is quality because as an American, society teaches us differently. I guess this is why I decided to study abroad. To gain and grow into a more well rounded individual.
