Guglhupf!

No, that wasn’t a sneeze. It’s the name of the best bakery in Durham.

Say it: Guglhupf. I dare you. Now get over the fun of saying it and get over to the place itself. Just a few doors down from Foster's Market on Chapel Hill Boulevard, this south German bakery is a delightful addition to the sparse but diverse group of businesses and restaurants on the northern side of 15-501.

Founded by German natives Hartmut Jahn and Claudia Cooper in 1998, the bakery's success can be attributed to their principle of offering the most superior selection of artisan breads and pastries in the area. Customers trust this promise, and Guglhupf reinforces it via informational pamphlets and their thorough web-site, www.guglhupf.com. Although the web page won't provoke a new bread revolution, it still manages to do the inconceivable: bring character to baked goods.

Tucked away behind the main street, Guglhupf's entrance is preceded by a small terrace. Although seating is limited outside and there is no seating inside, the terrace is a pleasant aesthetic counterpoint to the large parking lot adjacent the building. The ambiance is further accentuated by a warm, open interior where the store's quality products are displayed.

If you're anything like me, your focus would immediately lock onto the pastries. No shame in that, none at all. How can you help it when you see a fruit turnover all plummed, pineappled, kiwied and cherried up? Or luscious elephant ears, all cleverly dipped halfway with dark, Belgian chocolate, the same chocolate used in Guglhupf's "classic" chocolate croissant? The successful rendering of these items is finished off by the light flakiness of the pastries themselves. Other items to try are the "lunchier" croissants such as the spinach and feta or ham and cheese.

In addition to pastries, Guglhupf offers cakes, rolls and breads. For the curious, the name Guglhupf comes from a traditional German cake sold and described by the bakery as, "an elegantly, lightly-sweet dessert cake with almonds, rum-soaked raisins and powdered sugar on top." Those with simple tastes should consider the brezel or the brezel knot. The more adventurous must try the brezel stick with cheese, which is more focaccia than stick-shaped. Sprinkled with poppy and sesame seeds, swiss cheese and spices, this bread is appropriate for all meals of the day.

Guglhupf's breads are perhaps the most thorough items on the menu. The selection works on a rotating basis, so not all breads are guaranteed on all days. (Consult the website for the baking schedule. No joke, it's on there). But one look at Guglhupf's tall shelves of breads will make you realize that this is not the supermarket's baking section. Free of additives, preservatives and all those bad things included in commercial breads, Guglhupf breads are (so the owners claim) good for your health.

The one area lacking in thoroughness is the limited beverage options. Only coffee, bottled water and a few varieties of Nantucket Nectar juices are available. That's no real surprise; Guglhupf is a genuine bakery whose focus is never shifted beyond the baking.

Although it is not the most convenient location for Duke students-especially those without cars-Guglhupf is a place to think about to get away from campus for a little while and try something guaranteed to rock your little baked-goods world.