Iran Renames Danish Pastries (Now & forever to be referred to a "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad." )

Associated Press ^ | 2/16/06 | ALI AKBAR DAREINI

[presidio9]

Iranians love Danish pastries, but when they look for the flaky dessert at the bakery they now have to ask for "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad."

Bakeries across the capital were covering up their ads for Danish pastries Thursday after the confectioners' union ordered the name change in retaliation for caricatures of the Muslim prophet published in a Danish newspaper.

"Given the insults by Danish newspapers against the prophet, as of now the name of Danish pastries will give way to 'Rose of Muhammad' pastries," the union said in its order.

"This is a punishment for those who started misusing freedom of expression to insult the sanctities of Islam," said Ahmad Mahmoudi, a cake shop owner in northern Tehran.

One of Tehran's most popular bakeries, "Danish Pastries," covered up the word "Danish" on its sign with a black banner emblazoned "Oh Hussein," a reference to a martyred saint of Shiite Islam. The banner is a traditional sign of mourning.

The shop owner declined to comment Thursday.

In Zartosht Street in central Tehran, cake shop owner Mahdi Pedari didn't cover up the word "Danish pastries" on his menu, but put the new name next to it.

"I did so just to inform my customers that Rose of Muhammad is the new name for Danish pastries," he said.

Some customers took immediately to the new name. But others were less enthusiastic about the protest.

"I just want the sweet pastries. I have nothing to do with the name," homemaker Zohreh Masoumi told the sales clerk taking her order.

The drawings, which have offended many Muslims, were published in a Danish newspaper in September and then reprinted in European and American newspapers. One depicted the prophet with a turban shaped like a bomb with a burning fuse.

Islam widely holds that representations of Muhammad are banned for fear they could lead to idolatry. At least 19 people have been killed in protests over the past several weeks, most of them in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Consumer boycotts of Danish goods, from Havarti cheese to Lego, are costing Denmark's companies millions in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other Muslim countries.

Iranians love sweets, often bringing candies and pastries to parties. So-called "Danish pastries" are extremely popular.

The Danish's distinctive dough was first created in the 17th century by a French apprentice baker who forgot to add butter to the flour and tried to hide his mistake by folding lumps of it into the dough. It became known as "a thousand leaves" in France.

It was copied in Italy — where it is known as "folded pastry" — and Italian bakers took it to Austria. It journeyed from there to Denmark when Danish bakers went on strike and replacements imported from Austria brought along what became known in Denmark as "Viennese Bread."

The pastry became the Danish to the rest of the world, probably, according to the Danish bakers' union, because Danish bakers emigrated to so many countries.

In Iran, the pastries are domestically baked, not imported. Iran has cut all commercial ties with Denmark in retaliation for the prophet cartoons.

Iran's Danish renaming wasn't the first time a food name has become a symbol of protest. A Republican congressman from North Carolina helped lead an effort to make sure Capitol Hill cafeterias changed their menus to advertise "freedom fries" instead of french fries after France opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

[presidio9]

There was another article with the same title last week. This is the AP providing further details.

[BenLurkin]

Do they sell French fries?

[AntiGuv]

Ya just beat me to it!

[AntiGuv]

Ya just beat me to it!

[conservativebabe]

They are truly out of their minds.

[presidio9]

I still order "Freedon Fries," just to be a wise-ass.

[dynachrome]

Here is a photo of "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad."

[Tokra]

Iranians love Danish pastries, but when they look for the flaky dessert at the bakery they now have to ask for "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad."

And I have renamed Persian Lamb: "Testicles of the Prophet Muhammad."

[SmithL]

So, who wants a bite of Muhammad?

[RJS1950]

Yep, the Rose of Muhammad goes in one end and comes out the other as crap. Just like real prophet.

[yldstrk]

OMG That is hysterical!!!!!!!!!!!

[T.Smith]

So, to paraphrase Ty Webb, "A flute with no holes is not a flute, and a donut with no holes is a Rose of the Prophet Muhammed.". Yeah, that works.

[weegee]

Isn't this taking Mohammed's name in vain? Attributing his name to a breakfast food?

Gonna be more riots.

[Natural Law]

So what. The Danish word for these pastries is "vienbrot" means "Vienna bread".

[T Minus Four]

That's EXACTLY what I was thinking!

[mak5]

That's OK...Iran will soon be referred to as North Israel.

[DoctorMichael]

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property - either as a child, a wife, or a concubine - must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen: all know how to die. But the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science - the science against which it had vainly struggled - the civilization of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilization of ancient Rome."
~A passage from his book "The River War" written by Sir Winston Churchill in 1899 after he had participated in the Sudanese campaign.

[Bon mots]

Iran! Hah. What a rathole.
We are being led to believe that they are pro-American.
Don't forget, some 85% of them are in favor of their nuclear weapons program. Just watch how pro-American they all are when we do the right thing and blast it all to smithereens.

BTW - all of the pics in the graphic below are from Iran.

[Rakkasan1]

if your going to San Francisco
be sure to wear some jihad in your hair...

[Bon mots]

Ooops... except for the one in the bottom right-hand corner, of the Palestinian baby-terrorist.

(Pressed "Post" too fast!)