NEW YORK: One stop from the end of the N and Q subway line in Astoria, Queens, can transport train riders to a different country. Well, at least the little sister of a different country. Steinway Street is New York City's own version of Egypt. The street is filled with men and sometimes young women, sucking on candy-colored, glass water pipes filled with flavored tobacco, what the Egyptians have dubbed hookah, in dark, smoky cafes while they sip on tea plunged with fresh mint leaves and talk politics, culture and gossip. Since the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohammed Morsi defeated the military in the June 2012 Egyptian presidential election, the uncertainty of a continued friendly relationship between the United States and Egypt was on the minds of many in cafes in both little and big Egypt. “America doesn't take it personally," said Mr. Sam, 45, an employee of Nile Deli, which looked like a regular New York City bodega but housed typical Middle Eastern ingredients and imported food like the maamoul cookie, a circular, crummy crust filled with dates. Sam immigrated to New York from Alexandria. “America and Egypt will be friends, the Muslim Brotherhood doesn't affect relations." According to Al-Ahram Weekly, an English publication in Cairo, Morsi had no doesn't plan to forsake American aid.. In a speech at the 2012 Clinton Initiative summit meant to find practical solutions to global issues, Morsi said, “We need assistance: investment, technology, international cooperation.” The United States' influence on the Egyptian economy is no secret. During the reign of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt received $1.3 billion annually in military aid from the U.S. The reign of Morsi has been no different. Given the military ties between the two countries, a military victory in June would have secured the relationship but Morsi recognized the need for at least some American involvement. “The Muslim Brotherhood, they need to be in power, they know that US relations are important for economy and for everything," said Moustafa El Sayed, chef and owner of Mombar restaurant on Steinway Street, as he poured round chickpeas no bigger than a nickel into a food processor, layered them with chopped garlic and sprinkled everything with lemon juice. He was making tahini-less hummus for his incoming dinner guests. Down the street from Mombar at Kabab Café, Steinway Street's first Egyptian restaurant, Ali El Sayed, Moustafa's brother, was layering thin, wheat colored phyllo dough sheets in a rectangular pan and sprinkling them with chopped nuts soaked in sweet, syrupy honey. He was making baklava, a typical Middle Eastern dessert with roots in the Ottoman Empire. “Egyptians are not awake yet with what's going on with the politics of the United States and the Egyptian government, for a long time," said Ali El Sayed. Although some American-Egyptians are nonplussed by the effect of a Morsi victory on U.S. foreign policy, American publications are weary of the situation. The Sept. 11, 2012 protest against the American embassy in Cairo weakened the U.S.- Egyptian relationship. The CNN Security Blog posted on Sept. 13, 2012 that President Morsi “had been criticized by many U.S. officials for taking 24 hours to issue a tepid condemnation of the attack on the American embassy." The US- Egyptian relationship, according to members of the Little Egypt community, should only deal with political and economic aid. “Condoleezza Rice, keep your gay rights here, not in Egypt, what are you talking about?" said Moustafa El Sayed. “They can get involved in what's important, not in what won't get them anywhere. Not because you want your influence on everything, you cannot change the culture of the people." The culture of Egyptian people is strong, even when transported from the original mother country to another. “The U.S, she acts like she is the mother of all," said Ramy Aboyoseif, 28, a waiter at Cairo Steakhouse on Steinway Street. Aboyoseif immigrated to New York from Alexandria last September to study acting and found himself instantly attracted to the comforts of home found on Steinway Street. The café social scene mixed with the typical cuisine of the Middle East in Little Egypt is a powerful glue that enables Egyptian and Middle Eastern immigrants to stick together. But Astoria used to be heavily populated by Greek and Italian immigrants. Streets were lined with gyro stands and espresso bars. In 1987, Ali El Sayed opened the first Egyptian restaurant that doubled as a hookah café with its name in Arabic lettering. Soon after, immigrants from all over Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Lebanon flocked to the restaurant for hookah, hummus and a chat with their friends, as is traditional in Egypt. Increasing demand for these social comforts lead to several more cafes opening on Steinway Street, mostly dominated by men. “I think people here are together," said Moustafa El Sayed. “Honestly, you don't feel far away from home. The only language you hear on the street is Arabic." But don't get Egyptian-Americans wrong; their culture will prevail in any country but it has nothing to do with their citizenship. “American-Egyptians are as American as anyone else," said Ali El Sayed. “I think they are more American than George Washington was." BN
