Part II: Stopping to Eat the Roses, Istanbul

A single rose, outside the 5th-century Chora Church (called Kariye Camii in Turkish), in Istanbul

Part II:  Stopping to Eat the Roses

Istanbul, Turkey

by Victoria Challancin

My eyes rightly bulged when I first caught sight of my hotel's breakfast buffet

Immediately, I latched onto the various breads

Next, I discovered the Sour Cherry Jam and how it enhanced the taste of the salty string cheese it accidentally touched

And then, wonder of wonders, I spotted the Rose Petal Jam

I started looking for things to put it on

Nothing, it seems, would escape my quest for new Rose Petal Jam taste sensations

And as good as the jam was with various breads, it really shone with the salty cheeses

I was a bit worried about leaving the jam behind when we had to change hotels, until I discovered that this new hotel not only seved it, but served it in great, luscious puddles

And although I was enchanted by the heavenly flavor, I soon became equally captivated by the patterns it made as it spread over my plate

I've been back in Mexico for almost a week, yet I am still going through Rose Petal Jam withdrawal.  Visually.  Tactilely.  Gustatorily.  Can you see why?