Taking a cooking class while traveling is fun. Really. It is a great way to meet people, to dive into a culture, to "get your hands dirty." We have taken classes in several cities that we have travelled to over the years. Oaxaca, Santa Fe, New Orleans, San Juan and now we can add Istanbul to that list. It has been a great way to learn a bit of the cultue and learn a skill set we can hopefully take home and recreate.
We met our guide at the entrance to the Spice Bazaar. What a WONDERFUL place- the sites, the aromas, the endless possibilities! It was truely a place for all of the senses. We went straight to the stall run by the 5th generation of the same family (the newest generation all American educated). The stall is somewhat famous and lots of celebrity chefs pop in (they have a photo wall to prove it!). At the spice shop we smelled and tasted and learned a lot. We were also served our first cup of Turkish tea. It was a great experience. We were joined by another American couple for the class.
After the bazaar we took a ferry across the Bosphorous Straight to the Asia side of Turkey and after a wild cab ride we were there! Intoductions were made (turns out the lady who met us at the market was the junior partner) including the introduction of YoYo, the famous Jack Russell Terrior. YoYo is in commercials in Turkey for enegy drinks (kind of like th Taco Bell dog from years ago)
Selin owns the home and is the real boss of the kitchen. She talked us through 5 or 6 dishes, talking about the ingredients, history and technique. The time flew by as we cook and nibbled on cheese and olives. We ended the day with a feast! (and YoYo did some tricks!)
Selin owns the home and is the real boss of the kitchen. She talked us through 5 or 6 dishes, talking about the ingredients, history and technique. The time flew by as we cook and nibbled on cheese and olives. We ended the day with a feast! (and YoYo did some tricks!)
We really enjoyed our time in Istanbul, although it did rain EVERY day. It was fascinating to see and experience totally new thngs. I sure hope one day to return!