In a corner of Bethlehem, at the square of the Nativity, scents of Italian excellence mingle with the flavors of this holy land: yeast, almonds, dates, honey and raisins. Flavors of two traditions meet thanks to a collaborative effort of the Bethlehem Municipality through the PMSP Project (Palestinian Municipalities Support Program), and the Italian municipalities, which funds the program.
This project involved the creation of a pastry shop, opened Sunday, Dec. 13, where young Palestinians will be able to learn a new job. A pastry chef will teach them the tradition of the Great Italian leavened pastries that will have a special feature: to be produced in Bethlehem.
CESARE LAZZINI
Pastry Chef – Massa Carrara
“I never thought I would travel to this land to make Italian pastries, like the ones I used to bake in my workshop. ‘Mother yeast’ is the main ingredient to create large leavened pastries. It is wonderful to be able to bake the Italian pastries here, to make them known in this land and distribute them.
It is great to share our great recipes and flavors with the people who live here as well as the pilgrims; I am glad to teach my skills to these young people, so they can count on another economic resource.”
The challenge to blend the secrets of the Italian confectionery ingredients with the typical flavors of this land has been fully overcome. It is an explosion of flavors to enjoy!
CESARE LAZZINI
Pastry Chef – Massa Carrara
“These days have been intense: we worked day and night and we developed this new flavor with dates and honey, linked to the peculiarity of this land. This has been an adventure: it was great to be able to work with them, their commitment is inspiring, these guys are amazing! ”
HANNA MORQOS
Apprentice Pastry Chef
“It is very nice, this is the only place in the Holy Land where these pastries can be found.. I am very happy to have learned these new skills. This is something new and very special!”
Fr. IBRAHIM FALTAS, ofm
Bursar – Custody of the Holy Land
“This is a real Italian pastry shop. We made croissants and ‘biscotti’ …This is a very good thing. I think everyone is happy with this project; many young people are working now because of it ……and finally…the ‘bread’ of Bethlehem, the ‘panettone’ of Bethlehem: it is fresh, it is good, even with the dates. This panettone is unique, it is not found anywhere else in the world.”
A blend of traditions that gave birth, right in the city of the Saviour, on the threshold of Christmas, a ‘one of a kind’ and uniquely shaped pastry: the “bread of Bethlehem”
DAVIDE LA CECILIA
Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem
“We are particularly pleased. It was hard work. This is the second part of a project that involves the training of Palestinian personnel. The first training was for the ice cream shop, now we have this pastry shop that delivers this delicious pastry that I ‘m holding in my hand, which is the ‘bread’ of Bethlehem and that here, is called Al Zaki, which in Arabic means ‘delicious’.”
Fr. IBRAHIM FALTAS, ofm
Bursar – Custody of the Holy Land
“We thank all those who took part in this project and made it happen. I think this is a dream come true for many young people, for many people, a dream manufactured here, in Bethlehem.”