Sunday Breakfast...

My brother is a foodie. He loves to cook and feed people. He knows a lot about food. So Sunday breakfast is a huge productıon between him and Nevin. I do not need to go into details just use your imaginatıon. This might help --->
Turks are so much into food. All the TV channels have cooking programs. It is food everywhere. I do not want to eat anything next few days.

We start talking about about extraterrestrial forces etc which I never believed  in. I have not even entertained the idea that such things may exist.  My brother and Nevin are great believers of that stuff. I do not feel comfortable because I am not good at agreeing with things that I do not believe or support. I start feeling hot and sweaty and have to fınd a way to get out of this discussion.

My niece, Ayşegül, who is an architect and lives in Berlin was also in Istanbul for a project. It is good that she shot two birds with one stone: visiting her family for new years and working on her project. I got to see her too.

In the afternoon, we decide to visit some family.  Most of the conversations wıth the family members starts simply by exchanging pleasantries like "how are you?","I am fine, thank God (Allaha şükür)" etc. It then continues by asking how things are with the rest of the famıly members. Another 15 minutes goes by exchanging  same pleasantries.  

In the meantime, the youngest of the household sets up a Turkish tea table which is ornate with homemade pastries mostly filled wıth feta cheese, parsley, potatoes, spinach. There is a pumpkın desert with walnuts, stuffed grape leaves, mixed pickles, tahini pastry (I love it!). Tea is served in tiny glasses and well brewed, for some reason called the color of rabbit's blood.  I drink 3 cups and eat a piece of everythıng, I praise the pickle the most whıle I eat and they offer to pickle some veggies for me and I feverishly thank them and

Conversation moves to more serious subjects like politics and how religion is taking over, what it means to be a Muslım, how the USA is manipulating the Turkish government. I keep quiet because I am really not well informed about this stuff. However,I listen to them with renewed ınterest, maybe I learn somethıng new but sounds like 't is the same old stuff.  America is busy plotting against Turkey as if they have nothing better to do:)

We are stuffed and teaed out. Really great food, with really good people. It is time to say byes and we exchange the same pleasantries for the third time within two hours.  Kisses on the cheeks and hands if they are elderly.

Four of us huddle back in the car and I say I can not eat dinner, however that opens up the conversation what to have for dinner. My brother offers several choices and I can not help but think about  food agaın. This is getting scary. We are home and four of us are discussing seriously dinner agaın!

I have to go to the kitchen to help my brother and Nevin to ready the dinner table again. To tell the truth,  I am looking forward to it.  Is there somethıng wrong with me?