What an enjoyable day this was! Asli met us right on time at our hotel. She gave us shopping options and we chose to visit a farm and pick fresh vegetables - don't worry, you won't have to do all the work. We then went to her restaurant kitchen (at her home, outdoors) and spent a relaxing afternoon making several dishes. Asli had done a lot of prep work already so that we had time to make 5 or 6 things. We also learned about and sampled olive oils and wines. The meal was delicious and unlike what we found in restaurants. Maybe the highlight was that our son's favorite dish was green beans (!!) and now I have the recipe for it. Finally, we visited the winery where Ansi's restaurant is (we asked - no pressure!) for a wine tasting and purchase. We were delivered by taxi back to our hotel. This would be a great activity any time but I think we especially enjoyed it after 2 busy weeks of sightseeing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to visit the market with its high quality produce and friendly vendors. Asli provided a fun and educational experience in her home overlooking her farm. The food was divine and we met some great fellow travellers. Highly recommended. I will remember this experience and the opportunity to chat with a local and her family in her home for a long time.

Our Turkish cooking class began with a very warm greeting, a morning pick up and drive to the market. Entering Asli’s restaurant we were awed by its colorful ambiance, dining tables in the courtyard and inside, and her husband’s paintings decorating the wall. With Turkish tea and great conversation we sat down at one of the tables to pod cranberry beans, peel red peppers, cut up quince, crush garlic, chop onions, grate tomatoes, and roll vegetables in phyllo sheets. The smoky fragrance of the grilling eggplants, the quince and fennel simmering, and the rice pilaf with raisins and herbs made the experience deliciously sensual. The main dish was a work of art - fresh anchovies lining a clay pot, which was filled with rice pilaf and re-covered with the anchovies. We learned Asli’s special techniques for how to make her “magic sauce”, and the wonderful combination of herbs with fruits and vegetables. What a beautiful