Residents of Tunis are fed up with the now chronic shortage of many staple foods in Tunisia, including sugar. During the last week of the Islamic holy month, many Tunisian families prepare traditional pastries such as makroudh (a semolina cake stuffed with dates), ghrayba (a shortbread made from chickpea flour) or bachkoutou (a biscuit), for which sugar is an essential ingredient, but this year the end of Ramadan is leaving a bitter taste for pastry lovers. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES