A1: Nat sound of the register, fades under N1, A2, N2, A3.
N1: The cash register at Laziza pastry shop on Steinway Street keeps clanking open and customers are lined up behind the counter. The shop is offering specials available only during Ramadan, like atayef, the sweetened pitas filled with nuts or cream. There's also kinafa, the shredded filo dough.
A2: Nat sound of customer ordering: "two atayef jibn, two atayef joz, and two kinafa bil ashta."
N2: Seventeen-year-old Mostafa al-Sheik orders enough to feed three people.
A3: al-Sheik:
"Oh, yeah! A lot of sweets, I love sweets in Ramadan//it gets me full."
N3: Muslims believe Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, is when Prophet Muhammad received the holy book, the Quran, in the seventh century. In tribute to this period, Muslims refrain from food, drink and sensual pleasures during daylight. But after the long hours of fasting, they usually crave sweets.
A4: Al-Nabulsi:
"In Ramadan, we have 80 percent extra sales//just because it's Ramadan."
N4: The owner of Laziza Pastry's, Rafe al-Nabulsi says. Al-Nabulsi says on regular days the shop would bake four or five trays of kinafa a day, but during Ramadan, it goes up to 30. Bodegas are also doing well. Mina Abdou runs the Nile Deli on Steinway Street. He says for Ramadan, he orders triple the usual amount of inventory and profits almost double. He also stocks up on Ramadan specials like dried fruit and nuts.
A5: Abdou:
"That's the high season for the groceries, it's like Christmas in U.S.A."
N5: Not only do people tend to eat more during iftar, the evening meal Muslims have to break their fast. There are also the social gatherings after iftar. Abdou says it's simple: more banquets, more supplies, more sales.
A6: Abdou:
"Like what we do in our countries//invite each other in Ramadan//that's culture."
N6: Across the street from Abdou's store, a number of restaurants have decorated their fronts with special Ramadan lanterns called the "Fanus." Mohamed el-Aswed says his sea food restaurant especially does well during the holy month because mosques make large food orders.
A7: El-Aswed:
"The mosque gives free meals out in Ramadan on a consistent basis//in the Islamic world, it's just like a habit that people do, almost like a charitable gift ."
N7: El-Aswed says five Astoria mosques have placed orders with him. The mosques order around 250 meals a day for 1200 dollars.
A8: NAT sound of dishes at restaurant, fades under N8, A9.
N8: El-Aswed says restaurants use Ramadan for marketing. He offers his customers the iftar meal that would normally cost 17 dollars for 9.95.
A9: El-Aswed:
"This way we lure them inside the restaurant to try our food and hopefully we get them hooked in."
N9: The increased profits will likely continue until Ramadan ends on November 4. Rawya Rageh, Columbia Radio News.