Love and Food in a Turkish Kitchen

There is nothing quite like the kitchen at the Raindrop Foundation, which is a center for Turkish culture in Albuquerque. Sorry for the blurriness of the photos, but these are women in constant motion! It is impossible to get them to hold any pose, as they put together an incredible meal for all of us.

On this occasion, some of us washed our hands and joined them in rolling the dolma and filling in the squash. My cabbage rolls looked nothing like theirs. They kindly assured me, saying that it takes much practice. My Japanese neighbor said the same thing as I fumbled to copy her movements in making sushi.

A very special kitchen

There is something special about this kitchen and something unique about the women who present these cooking classes every two weeks (with some semester breaks in between). They lead busy lives with babies and small children, and yet they always make the time to share their cuisine with us, encouraging our clumsy fingers with joy and a great deal of laughter.

Now that I am retired, I plan to attend every one of them that I can. Being with them in this fashion helps me with my writing, as women cooking and eating together is strong in this incredible culture.

A place of camaraderie

Interesting women from a variety of backgrounds attend these classes. My fondness for our talented Turkish teachers and for the women who take advantage of learning to prepare these feasts and the camaraderie we all share in eating them is not to be found for me anywhere else in Albuquerque. Well, I must alter that to say that the Bosque Press and its amazing writing workshops come pretty close.

After I attend one of the cooking classes at the Raindrop Foundation, I am always inspired to cook more of them at home. Two places to find the spices are: Café Instanbul at 1415 Wyoming Blvd. NE (now only a grocery with takeout) or Alquds Mediterranean Grill and Grocery at 5555 Montgomery Blvd. NE (great food in the restaurant). One other alternative is to order online, but because I have not done this, I cannot recommend a site.

The Raindrop Foundation also has its own cookbook: Turkish Culinary Art: A Journey through Turkish Cuisine.

This book and the spectacular experience of Turkish cooking can be found at:

The Raindrop Foundation

7901 Mountain Road NE

Albuquerque, NM 87110

(505) 859-3751

Cooking classes at the Raindrop Foundation

Here is the schedule of cooking classes coming up. All are from 1 to 4 p.m.

Borek Workshop Feb. 23, 2019

Manti Workshop March 9, 2019

Meze Workshop March 23, 2019

Kurabiye Workshop April 6, 2019

Please register beforehand so that they have an idea how many people they have coming. The fee is $30, but it truly is all you can eat!!

Register here through EventBrite.