ABOUT THIS PROJECT
By Dalia Mortada and Lauren Bohn
When best friends Ahmed and Rashed moved to Istanbul to escape the war in Syria, they never thought it would mark only the middle of their journey. But now, in the face of modern history’s worst humanitarian crisis, the employees of a well-known chain of sweets shops find themselves asking an existential question: Can the sweet tastes of Syria be recreated in Europe?
This is the story of an epic journey, of food and family, and the sweets shop, Salloura. Ultimately, it’s a story about what we leave behind and what we carry with us to become our new selves.
When we began to follow the story of Salloura, Ahmed and Rashed, we had no idea just how winding and unpredictable the tale would be. Here, you can listen to the story, in which we take you back 150 years to the start of the famous sweets shop. The tale ends, for now, in Germany, where its workers and patrons have been forced to rebuild their lives. We also invite you to more intimately follow this incredible odyssey chapter by chapter, in real time— and to taste the flavors we’ve found along the way. Every two weeks we’ll publish a new installment of Salloura’s saga, following the shop and its people as they chase the memory of a time and place that no longer exists. With each new leg of the journey, we’ll include a key recipe to a dish described in or connected to the story, offering you the chance to taste Syria right from your home.
Chapter One: Out of Syria
Recipe: Saffarjaliyya (Aleppo quince and lamb stew)
Chapter Two: Into the Promised Land
Recipe: Shakriyyeh (Chicken with rice and yogurt)
Chapter Three: Deadlines
Recipe: Warbat Bil Ishta (Sweet cream puffs)
Chapter Four: Betrayal
Recipe: Halawet El Jibn (Sweet cheese rolls)
Chapter Five: Departures and Arrivals
