I Was Relishing My Final Evening in Dubrovnik, a Medieval

Essay

I was relishing my final evening in Dubrovnik, a medieval walled city in Croatia known for its ornate gates and orange-tiled roofed buildings, when I was stopped by the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries coming from a street cart by the road. Digging through my brown leather coin purse, I found a lone dinar and handed it to the pastry cart attendant. That last day of vacation will forever be linked to the still-warm circle of pastry the attendant exchanged for my little coin and my grateful "Hvala!" The burek , a savory pastry made of phyllo dough wrapped around soft white cheese, was rolled into a spiral much like an enormous cinnamon bun. With my first bite into the buttery phyllo, I became a lifelong devotee. The flaky dough complemented the cheese, which came out in chewy strings, like mozzarella on a pizza, but much tangier. I ate every last morsel of that street food delight and then went home armed with a new recipe book to help me recreate that special meal whenever I am feeling nostalgic for beautiful Dubrovnik.