{"id":5308,"date":"2020-05-24T12:59:46","date_gmt":"2020-05-24T12:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/voiceofsalam.com\/?p=24107"},"modified":"2020-05-24T12:59:46","modified_gmt":"2020-05-24T12:59:46","slug":"baklava-beats-bigotry-my-muslim-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/05\/24\/baklava-beats-bigotry-my-muslim-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"Baklava beats bigotry: My Muslim friend"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Simon Hardy Butler<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Bigotry and baklava.<\/span> They don\u2019t go together.<\/p>\n One is sour, bitter. The other: sweet.<\/p>\n I prefer baklava<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Why am I writing about this? Well, it reminds me of a\u00a0recent incident at work when I was about to start a hectic day.<\/p>\n A colleague whom I shall call “Lara” left on the kitchen\u2019s communal table a selection of baklava and other filo-wrapped Middle Eastern pastries she had baked at home earlier.<\/p>\n I tried some; of course, they were wonderful \u2026 honey-soaked but not too sticky, sugary yet not overpowering. I thanked her and told her what a terrific chef she was. She was very modest and gracious in response.<\/p>\n Joking, I asked her if she had any more. I went back to my chair in good humour. The desserts had made me very happy.<\/p>\n The next day, after entering the office and approaching my chair, I saw a covered aluminium foil take-out container on my desk. Coming closer, I noticed my name was written on the top.<\/p>\n I opened it and was delighted to find more baklava. It was obvious who did this. And it was obvious I was going to thank her even more profusely than before.<\/p>\n Which I did. Again, she was modest, gracious. I, however, couldn\u2019t help but lavish praise.<\/p>\n