Taunt Susan, a Coptic Egyptian woman living in Ridgewood, described fresh pita bread as something that carries the feeling of home, even thousands of miles away. At home, it is wrapped and set on the table for every meal, never treated as something ordinary.Taunt Susan was born and raised in Egypt before moving to New York as an adult. When I asked her what made the bread here different, she paused before answering, “In Egypt, you didn’t have to look for it. It was everywhere.”
She spoke about mornings where fresh bread was part of daily routine, the smell filling the streets before you even reached the bakery. It was not just food, but something constant—something you could rely on. In Ridgewood, she explained, getting the same bread requires intention. You have to know where to go, make the trip, and hope it’s still warm when you get there.
Despite the distance, she says the taste brings her back instantly. “It’s the same,” she said, holding the bread in her hands a little longer than necessary. In that moment, the bakery became more than just a place to buy food—it became a connection between two lives.
Outside of these small moments, Susan says New York feels fast and ever-changing, a place where traditions can easily be lost. But inside her home, routines like sharing fresh pita at the table keep those traditions alive. She believes that it is these everyday practices, more than anything else, that preserve culture across generations.
For her, the bread is not just something to eat. It is a reminder of where she comes from, and a way to carry that with her in a new place.

– Ounay Tawadrous

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