One such student, Kathy Aparentado, told Zaman USA that she has tried each and every recipe at home the day after each class and has had great success. She decided to improve her Thanksgiving menu this year with her new Turkish repertoire. She was an inspiration to her classmates and everybody decided to make something Turkish for their big feasts. The outcome was appreciated they have decided to enrich their Christmas dinner menus with Turkish food as well.
The head of the women's branch of the TCCNJ, Dilek Öztoprak, was pleased with the demand for the classes and told Zaman Weekly they were be able to accept the first 10 registrants last semester however, if demand continues they may host additional new classes in January. “We started everything so amateurish but the result was very professional. We had so much fun and [are] looking forward to start[ing] the second term,” Mrs.Öztoprak, shared merrily. “That wasn't only an opportunity to cook together but also a great occasion to explore, to exchange cultures and customs,” she added.
At the conclusion of the program, the students were given Turkish ingredients hard to find in regular American markets such as pepper paste, cracked wheat and red lentils and aprons that read “TCCNJ Cooking Class 2011.”
Students learned how to make cold appetizers and salads along with traditional dishes like kısır (cracked wheat salad) and fusion dishes like rolled potato. In the second term, they will acquaint themselves with soups and desserts from Turkish cuisine.
If you would be interested in participating in January classes send an e-mail to info@tccnj.org.
