Baklava!
A few weeks ago marked an international holiday perhaps few Americans appreciate, and even fewer are familiar with. The Embassy of Turkey gave the holiday the full recognition it deserves on March 7th, when members of the Turkish Embassy and distinguished guests both from abroad and from the D.C. area gathered in the Turkish Embassy Chancery to celebrate International Woman’s Day.
Under the auspices of the Embassy of Turkey, The American Turkish Association of Washington, D.C., and Turkish Airlines, the Bridge to Turkiye Fund presented the night’s program. Guest speakers included: Schroeder Stribling, Executive Director of N Street Village, a prominent community that provides empowerment and recovery for homeless and low-income women in the Washington, D.C. area, and Diana Mayhew, President of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and recipient of the ATA-DC International Women’s Day award.
We were treated to a showing of “Kardelen, The New Hope of Turkey,” Tino Soriano’s National Geographic documentary about the struggles and triumphs of young women growing up in Turkey. Mr. Soriano has made the film available online.
It was a genuinely inspiring night full of heartfelt stories and hard working people whose work is admirable (to say the least). Also, there was a long delicious buffet that topped off the inspiring night of thoughtful conversation about global feminism and equality with a serving (or two) of baklava.
Noteworthy items from the menu included the baked pasta stuffed with cheese and parsley. As a fan of anything stuffed with cheese, this dish was addicting. There were newsworthy (call the presses!) baked potatoes that my date and I assaulted (we waited till nobody was looking), and delicious green peppers stuffed with orzo.
Of the protein courses, the tuna fish salad and diced fried lamb were my favorites. At the head of the table was a ginormous whole smoked salmon that stared at me with knowing eyes, judging me for my dining choices as I dished out my second helping of cheese-enhanced pasta. I’m a tuna melt kind of a girl, so the tuna salad was more my style. Some of you are perhaps thinking, “Can you mess up tuna salad?” You can. I’ve eaten some. It was a haunting experience.
There was also a small refreshment station that offered wine, soda and juice. To the very nice man in the grey suit and brown tie that served me several glasses of wine that night: thank you.
Also, did I mention the baklava? There was baklava that night and I might have consumed half of it. No shame. Salmon, stop looking at me.
-MAS (Mary)
