Draft:Al-Sayyids Cakes
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|
.png) Storefront sign of al-Sayyids Cakes | |
Native name | كعك السيد |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bakery |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Founder | Hussein Ali al-Samarrai |
Area served | Baghdad |
| Products | Ka'ak, pastries, Iraqi sweets |
Al-Sayyid Cakes (Arabic: كعك السيد, romanized: Ka'ak al-Sayyid) is a historic Iraqi bakery and cake shop located on Rashid Street in Baghdad, Iraq. Established in the early twentieth century by Hussein Ali al-Samarrai, the bakery became associated with the traditional Baghdadi pastry known as ka'ak and has operated from the Rusafa District for generations.[1]
History
[edit]Al-Sayyid Cakes takes its name from its founder, Hussein Ali al-Samarrai. In 1906, al-Samarrai left his previous occupation as a textile merchant and began working as a Shakarchi, a seller and maker of ka'ak.[2] He learned the trade from bakers already practising the craft in Baghdad before establishing his own bakery in the Ras al-Qarya area of Baghdad in 1907.[2][3] It subsequently moved to a location near what is now Al-Rusafi Square, before relocating during the 1920s to Rashid Street, near the Haydar-Khana Mosque.[4]
The original structure was relatively simple, roofed with timber and reed matting. In 1937, the building was reconstructed using brick and iron. The resulting two-storey building housed the bakery on the ground floor, while the upper floor was used for the Umm al-Rabi'ayn Hotel.[4]
Al-Sayyid's bakery achieved widespread fame during its earlier years, attracting customers from across Iraq and neighbouring Gulf states.[5] The shop also served as a gathering place for literary figures; notably, the poet Ma'ruf al-Rusafi was known to recite his verses inside the establishment. Other prominent clientele include the Iraqi royal family, Nuri al-Said, and Abd al-Karim Qasim.[5]
Following the death of Hussein al-Samarrai in 1963, his sons Muzahim and Muhammad Ali continued operating the business.[5] Production equipment was subsequently modernised, and the bakery expanded its production to include various traditional Middle Eastern sweets in addition to ka'ak.[1]
In 2025, a government-funded initiative fully restored the façade and designated the shop as a protected landmark monument along Rashid Street.[6] The project also enhanced the surrounding area by installing new urban furniture, incorporating a pedestrian-only zone and building a tram line along the street.[7][8]
Production
[edit]During its early years, the bakery used largely manual methods of production. Wheat was cleaned, washed and dried before being ground, while dough was prepared in wooden vessels and fermented near the bakery's oven.[1]
The dough was traditionally prepared using ingredients including animal ghee and sugar, whilst wood was originally used as fuel for the ovens. In addition to ka'ak, the bakery produced traditional baked goods including Iraqi jerek and rusk, which were commonly served with tea during social and religious occasions.[1][5]
Production methods were later modernised as demand increased, while the business continued producing the baked goods it had traditionally been associated with.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Zangana, Haifa (2000). Mafātīḥ madinah: riwāyah. London: Dār al-Ḥikmah. p. 87. ISBN 978-1-898209-81-2.
- 1 2 Maẓlūm, Muḥammad (2013-01-01). حطب إبراهيم أو الجيل البدوي: شعر الثمانينات وأجيال الدولة العراقية (in Arabic). Dār Al-Takwīn. pp. 192–193.
- ↑ Hādī, Maysalūn (2023). Ḥulm wardī fātiḥ al-lawn: riwāyah (al-Ṭabʻah al-thāniyah ed.). Paris: al-Mufakkir lil-Kutub. p. 138. ISBN 978-9922-8586-0-9.
- 1 2 Rubayʻī, Ḥamīd (2021). Jamarāt Yārā: riwāyah. al-Jīzah: Dār Ṣifṣāfah lil-Nashr wa-al-Tawzīʻ wa-al-Dirāsāt. p. 29. ISBN 978-977-821-178-8.
- 1 2 3 4 "الگاردينيا - مجلة ثقافية عامة - كعك السيد في شارع الرشيد.. ذاع شهرته في انحاء العراق". algardenia.com. Retrieved 2026-09-28.
- ↑ yazdani, leila (2025-04-02). "Baghdad's heritage zones protected". Shafaqna English | International Shia News & Fatwas. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ الزوراء, صحيفة. "تذوقه ملوك ورؤساء عرب لأكثر من قرن...عصير (الحاج زبالة) تراث بغدادي أصيل". جريدة الزوراء العراقية. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ International, Railway Gazette (2026-01-29). "Baghdad battery-powered retro-tram completed". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 2026-09-27.