October serves as the month to celebrate pastries and dessert.
Photo Credit: Hedda Jarhall
Linda Eurenius, manager and pastry chef at the coffee shop Johan’s Joe, smiles as she arranges rows of freshly baked cinnamon buns behind the counter.
“I love being able to comfort other people and make them feel welcome. If they are having a bad day, I aim to brighten it with a little treat or a cup of coffee,” said Eurenius.
For several months, Eurenius has managed Johans Joe, a Swedish restaurant in downtown West Palm Beach.
As October approaches, several special days are coming up to celebrate pastries and drinks. At Johans Joe, International Coffee Day will be celebrated, as it has in previous years.
International Coffee Day, observed on Oct. 1, was established to recognize and promote the global coffee industry. At Johans Joe, a special Swedish coffee brand is offered in all coffee drinks.
This October, Eurenius is introducing something new to her coffee shop. The cinnamon bun will be celebrated on Oct. 4, which marks the Swedish National Cinnamon Bun Day.
“This will be our first year enlightening our cinnamon buns with coffee. I believe we will receive more visits than usual next month,” said Eurenius.
Since the coffee shop began making its pastries in-house, Eurenius has noticed an increase in customers. She thinks the customers appreciate the handmade pastries and the time the bakers put in each pastry.
“I think people enjoy having a sweet treat in the afternoon. It is special to offer authentic cinnamon buns and other handmade pastries,” said Eurenius.
As more pastries and bread are mass-produced and made in fabrics, Eurenius encourages people to appreciate and value the craftsmanship behind handmade pastries.
“There is pride in the craft of making pastries by hand. Everyone should work to keep this tradition alive, rather than relying on fabric-made pastries,” said Eurenius.
Liv Scott, a server at another coffee shop and bakery in West Palm Beach, shares Eurenius' enthusiasm for pastries as the month of celebrations approaches.
Working at Loïc Bakery, a French bakery and café in downtown West Palm Beach, Scott can enjoy her favorite pastry, a white pistachio croissant.
“My job is a lot of fun. I love all kinds of pastries - they taste very good. It is also great to talk to customers and make new friends,” said Scott.
As Eurenius continues to comfort her customers with her pastries, she remains committed to honoring the cultural heritage behind them.
She explains that each culture has their own specific pastry or bread that they make. She thinks it is important to value those specialities.
“We should work to preserve each culture's unique pastries and breads. Unfortunately, I think they are sometimes forgotten,” she said.
By Hedda Jarhall
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