Freedom Pastries

[Cuivienen]

Someone, I forget who, predicted this one. Of course, they aren't called Freedom Pastries but Roses of the Prophet Mohammed.

Tehran, Iran (AP) -- 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 Mohammed."

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 Mohammed' 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 Mohammed is the new name for Danish pastries," he said.

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

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 Mohammed 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.

Iran has cut all commercial ties with Denmark in retaliation for the prophet cartoons.

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

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.

 

[Xen]

awesome!

 

[bhsup]

I can see the retaliation now. Persian rugs you say? Heck no, we sell Press Freedom Upholstery Mats!

 

[El_Machinae]

I heartily endorse distinguishing your product in a meaningless way. It's what trademark and branding are all about ...

(I wonder if Danish panstry sales really started hurting?)

 

[Smellincoffee]

Maybe they'll spend so much time saying "Roses of the Prophet Mohammed" that they won't have time to protest.

 

[Masquerouge]

I guess this is where we learn that Danish pastries are in fact Swedish

 

[Irish Caesar]

The longer it takes to say the name, the more my mouth waters at the thought!

 

[Urederra]

What I said when they proposed the freedom fries name. It is totally stupid.

(BTW, I call them fried potatoes, cos that its what they really are)

One thing it is not clear to me. If they cut any comercial link to Denmark, Where do the Roses of the prophet Mohammed come from?

 

[MjM]

Damn. My Danishs! Roses taste like crap you know.

 

[ironduck]

I guess this is where we learn that Danish pastries are in fact Swedish

Eh? Danish pastries are quite different from most Swedish pastries. Of course, they're again altered in other countries to suit local palates.

 

[ironduck]

So now 19 people in their obsession of Muhammad have died.. to protest obsession with Muhammad.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

I propose they change it from Roses of the Prophet Muhammed to Jihad Cakes!

 

[De Lorimier]

Hope this makes everyone in the US that agreed with the whole Freedom Fries b.s. realize how ridiculous they were.

 

[bhsup]

Hope this makes everyone in the US that agreed with the whole Freedom Fries b.s. realize how ridiculous they were.

Nope, I still think it was amusing. Just like I think victory cabbage instead of Saeurkraut is (a WWI thing). While I think the violent protests are asinine, if the Danes can't take a bit of a tweak over their Danishes, or the French over Freedom Fries, they need to grow thicker skin.

 

[De Lorimier]

They both have thick skin. Nobody in those countries cares for stupid things like this. It's only seen as childish and pathetic.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Hope this makes everyone in the US that agreed with the whole Freedom Fries b.s. realize how ridiculous they were.

You're right. We should have burned the French Embassy instead.

Oh, wait...

 

[Hundegesicht]

Heh. Cool for the Iranians, I guess. At least they're using their pastries to protest peacefully. Things could get *real* ugly if they started throwing those things around... imagine how sticky the streets would be!

Needs a better name than "Roses Of the Prophet Mohammed", though.

 

[Narz]

If we go to war with Germany again what will we call saurkraut?

 

[bhsup]

If we go to war with Germany again what will we call saurkraut?

...victory cabbage instead of Saeurkraut...

It was good enough for my great-grandpappy, it's good enough for me.

 

[ironduck]

Meanwhile yet more rewards are put on the assassinations of the illustrators of the original drawings. Another imam in Pakistan just put a bounty of $25.000 'and a car' on their heads, Pakistan has withdrawn their ambassador, and Denmark has had to close down in Pakistan as the fifth consecutive embassy, fearing a lack of security.

People are a little more concerned about that stuff than freedom fries and the like