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“Talia,” I shouted as I ran searching for my 10-year-old niece. Running with fright, I couldn’t appreciate the lovely blue lake, or trees standing tall amidst the concrete park, or the birds happily chirping. All I could hear was my heart throbbing while thoughts were racing in my head. Being a Turkish American, I had visited Turkey many times but this park by the lake was new. It was a beautiful warm day with a sense of panic in the air. All the seating in the park was arranged in the middle, with the lake at one corner and a cafe at the opposite end. Being in the middle of the park, I couldn’t see much of the surroundings. Thinking my niece might be in the restrooms, I asked a waiter for directions. I was worried we would be stuck at this concrete park in Konya, Turkey longer than we had anticipated. Once I was inside, I discovered my niece. “Thank God,” I exclaimed while giving her a hug. We couldn’t waste time, as I was here not only to watch the famous Whirling Dervishes but also to find the perfect Kunefe. This crispy dessert filled with cheese reminded me of my youth. A simple dessert but one that is difficult to find in the United States. It had been ten years since I had been in Turkey and ate a tasty Kunefe. Trying to unwind from the panic of my niece, I couldn’t have any other delays. My youngest niece, Arya, had already gotten sick and vomited the day before, my older niece got lost, and we had an extremely short amount of time to visit Konya. Our plans to watch the Dervishes perform were made awhile ago, since they only perform once a week. As we ventured out in our final day to watch the Dervishes, I anxiously awaited my dessert. Konya, a religious conservative city is known as the, “City of Rumi.” Rumi, a famous Sufi poet/philosopher was buried in Konya. Headed to a museum where Rumi was buried, I was expecting an elaborate establishment. Instead the majority of the building was gray with specs of color in certain places with a circular outdoor courtyard. It was a quiet and reverent atmosphere. Luckily, the show center - Mevlana Kultur Merkezi - was very close to the museum. Sitting in the cultural center, I eagerly awaited the men in their white robes and tall hats performing their spiritual and peaceful spin. The beautiful flutter of cloth made this hypnotizing dance seem surreal as the dervishes twirled in a circular pattern with their hands in the air. The energy in the room was serene and solemn causing me to drift off for a nap. This lovely peace had me even hungrier for kunefe. The kid in me was let lose as we drove to our last destination. Perhaps, I thought, one needed to have that sense of peace and reverence first to fully appreciate the small things in life. How often in our daily lives do we stop and enjoy a spiritual moment? Finally, we arrived at Gazianteplim Katmer/Kunefe recommended by a friend of a friend. When we entered the quaint cafe, there was a chef’s station where the chef was freshly making the desserts that were ordered. We watched how the dough was rolled and shaped using various techniques by the master before us. Walking toward the outdoor seating area, we saw cups of milk awaiting all of us at the table. A local tradition where milk is believed to aid in the digestion of sweets. The final moment had come! The waiters were approaching us with a big platter. As they came closer, there was a platter with more than enough desserts for the entire restaurant. All of them containing pistachios to some degree. Some were baked, some were fried, and one had ice cream! Then, in the corner, on a small round plate, I saw it! The kunefe looked amazing! I only had eyes for it. I took one bite into the crispy phyllo and tasted a mixture of soft cheesy sweet crunchiness. It was perfect! The wait for my kunefe was worth it.