ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tanya Shkaki owes her love and talent for cooking to her mom.
"She is my energy," said the owner of the new St. Pete Bakery (600 1st Ave. N). "She taught me a lot about food and pastries."
From Kurdistan in northern Iraq, Shkaki first wowed local foodies as a popular vendor at the Saturday Morning Market. Her must-have hit? Four different kinds of homemade baklava: pistachio, cinnamon, chocolate and cardamom.
But her dream was to sell her Kurdish delicacies—sweet and savory, from date balls to red pepper hummus—in a brick-and-mortar location.
"And I did it!" she said, smiling. "I worked hard for this!"
Shkaki's shop looks as good as it smells, decorated with colorful mementos from her homeland matching the aroma of rich coffee and Turkish delight candies.
