Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
My wife, Joyce, and I enjoy traveling. And often when we go, we love to sample ethnic cuisine from the different cultures we visit. I was excited recently to discover gourmet baklava right in Draper at a place known as Sheer Ambrosia, owned and operated by Rita Magdale.
Rita developed a great love of other cultures and languages during her high school years. While working at a Greek restaurant, she discovered how much she enjoyed Mediterranean cuisine and learned how to make authentic baklava. She was excited to travel and studied abroad in both Ecuador and Spain while in college. It was only natural that she co-owned a travel agency for nine years.
Last summer after she sold her half of the company to her partner, Rita was looking for a new profession. Thinking about her love of cooking and traveling, Rita decided she wanted to open a bakery. Over the last 15 years it became a tradition to take her authentic baklava to friends and family at Christmastime. Remembering the overwhelming positive response to her treats, Rita decided to start her bakery by producing gourmet baklava and the result was Sheer Ambrosia, which opened last October.
Ambrosia means "food of the gods" and this is what Rita hopes her baklava can be. Made with more than 44 layers of fillo phyllo (fee-low), a papery thin pastry dough, four layers of nuts, real honey and walnuts, Rita says her baklava is divine. Clients have already fallen in love with the gourmet treat which can be used as a gift for clients or wedding favor.
Rita is excited to help people experience another culture through Sheer Ambrosia. Everyone who has tasted her baklava thus far has loved it. Eventually she would like to relocate to a storefront and perhaps expand her selection to include all types of foreign pastries. Until then, she will continue to delight customers with her gourmet baklava.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.








