Orchid Pudding

• When days grow shorter and cooler, samovars replace the sorbet machines. these dispense hot orchid pudding, "sakhlab."
• The shop with the best (to my taste) bourekas in the shouk also sells the best sahkhlab. On top, they sprinkle grated cocoanut, cinnamon, and chopped peanuts. I taste those, and beneath that, in the hot, slippery pudding, what must be orchid.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox