Sins of the Gulttonous

Murat & Samet...Masters at Work

The battle to keep the weight off has opened up a new front as more dinners and teas are on schedule as our departure approaches. Our last update had us heading upstairs to Murat Bey's home for homemade çiğ köfte, patlican (egg plant) and kebaps.
Stanley and I tried to help out with massaging the bulgar and ground sirloin but gave up after a quarter of an hour. Samet, Murat's son took the lead and continued to finesse the mixture of meat, spices, onion and peppers to a smooth consistency. Over an hour of work was needed before he announced it ready.Samet & Stan

Samet Takes the Lead

Following traditional Ottoman hospitality our plates were loaded for us and when they were too full to hold any more the food was placed in stacks on the table next to our plates...waiting patiently for their turn to be funneled into our distressed mid-sections.The First Course

We gave a valiant effort and were rewarded with Turkish coffee, followed by a Mastic pudding and Ice Cream, all washed down with a final set of scalding hot çay. While I was terribly uncomfortable with all we had to eat...it will go down as one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten....simply an amazingly succulent mixture of flavors and spices.
The next morning Stanley asked if he could have the remainder of the Çiğ Köfte for breakfast. I am going to miss that kid.
Here it is 6 days later and my hands are still stained red and smelling of onion, spices and garlic...a morning scent-memory of the sins of the gluttonous.
In just a few hours we head upstairs again...this time to another neighbor's apartment for whatever their definition of a "light meal" is. May God help us all.