Ramadan in Mexico: Iftar, breaking the fast

Day One:

First Iftar of Ramadan

Tonight is the second night of Ramadan, of prayer and recitation, tarawih… but before we pray Maghreb there is iftar. As the sun begins to lower in the horizon, turning the Californian sky into a beautiful display of warm colors, I set several dates on a plate, fill a cup with fresh water, slice an apple and place a handful of almonds to break my fast… My lips feel a little dry, but I don’t feel so hungry or thirsty, yet it’s only the first day of fasting, and this will be the first iftar…

Some hours before iftar, I had set myself to cooking dinner, saying Bismillah and hoping the food would not be bland or salty, I began preparing a simple dinner. I was to prepare over a dozen of little savory rolls of pastry, filled with a mix of fresh cheese and finely chopped herbs, then fry them in scant olive oil. My mother used to prepare these during the summer months, although she has never been too fond of frying, and as I chopped the mint and fennel I thought of my parents. A few days ago I had done my weekly trip to the produce market, I had picked the freshest vegetables, fruits, and as I glimpsed the fennel and mint from the corner of my eye, I knew I had to prepare Omi’s cheese and herb filled rolls for the first iftar. I mixed butter and flour with a bit of warm water, creating a soft and buttery dough, floured my wooden surface, and with a thin rolling pin I began rolling out a somewhat thin pastry to be filled with the cheese and herbs… One, two, three, four little rolls, all fried, and already cooling in absorbent paper… the smell of the cheese, herbs and pastry made me slightly hungry, such a familiar aroma but I would not taste it until iftar… These little rolls brought back memories of my family, my mother in the kitchen, but also of travel, of our stay in Istanbul, and all the food, experiences, and things we as a family have shared for so many years… I am thankful for having such a family, and as their arrival draws near day by day, I can’t help thinking of all the memories and experiences we have lived together and apart… On this first day of iftar, second night of Ramadan, I think of them.