products displayed on racks and counter
Last week, I entered one of the bakeries of the chain to get myself a cup of coffee and a cookie. It was almost noon. Inside, a light traffic of customers buying bread, rolls, pretzels, cakes, cookies. Salads, sandwiches,and light drinks were also available.
There were only two small chairs and tables, outside the entrance, where one could sit and have a coffee. Not very comfortable arrangement, to say the least, but I left home without any breakfast and I had to have something.
breads on rack
tortes, for festive events, in the fridge, cookies on the table
cookies on racks
ready-made cake roulades
The specialty of this chain is the 'sambusak' - an iraqi and middle-eastern turnover pastry stuffed with various fillings (cheese and potatoes, among the favorites).Doughnuts are also given much honor here, with a variety of fillings (chocolate, strawberries, vanilla, halva).
Staring at the people buying all those goodies, I concluded to myself that it was hard for anyone to resist entering the place. Besides the terrific smells of fresh, out-of-the oven stuff, and decent prices, I noticed a great variety of both: baking supplies used (white flour, whole flour, with or without glutten, various filling ingredients) and finished products (sweet, salty, sugarless/ breads, cookies - and at the other end - sophisticated and "decadent" desserts).
We're constantly told that sugar and salt are killers, flour is an enemy, jelly is yikes - but most people love these elements and will probably continue to love them (presumably with the help of a little pill for diabetes, cholesterol, triglycerides and the like. As we all know, Nutrition and Health, go hand in hand, ).