About 1 week ago we were eating fish (of which I am not a fan). As I complained to the 11yr old she asked me: "but have you ever had Balik kofte?" Fish meatballs?!?!? Seeing my face of disgust at even the thought of fish being smashed into an attempted edible spheres, she told me to just wait, its SOOO good.
Tuesday of this week the girls and I get home late and sit down to the customary Tuesday dinner of patates kofte, or french fries and meatballs. One bite in and I realize this is the best kofte I've had yet. My somewhat talented palette begins to distinguish the red pepper and other spices used to flavor these meatballs, giving them a just slightly spicy and red tinge. The 11yr old then then turns to me and says: "This is Balik Kofte.See, isnt it good?!" Disbeleiving, I turn to the older maid who nods her confirmation. Despite all my best salivatory, optic, and olfactory senses I am forced to believe her and gladly heap my plate with seconds--its fish afterall, that means its healthy!...
This morning at breakfast, I happen to mention to the live in maid that we had fish kofte for dinner this week and I loved it. With only the slightest of smiles she tells me: "No fish kofte. Sığır" (beef) Apparently when they were little girls and they refused to eat beef, the maids would tell the older girl who loves fish that it was fish, not beef. And tell the younger girl who loves chicken that it was chicken, not beef. "Before, no kofte, wahh wahh. Ok, fish, chicken. Very very love. Four year, no problem." They have kept this secret pact and served ground beef to the children for 4 years with completely straight faces.
And that my friends, is why Ayse is my official Quick Thinker of the Week, and my personal hero.
Cute story ;o)
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of the time my tutu's ('grandmother' in Hawaiian) friend told me that the English translation of dinuguan, the food I was eating with gusto, was "chocolate stew."
Wait...you island kine? I see in your profile a lot ot words about Hawaiian, Maori, and Bruddah Iz, are you from HI? If so, I lived on the North Shore for 2 years!
ReplyDeleteHeh. My Turkish husband can be as picky as a 2 year old for food. I found changing the name works for him too. So, I call meatloaf "giant köfte." He doesn't like soup with bits in it (most Turkish soups are strained), so I call soup and stew "Cowboy Sote." Unbelievably, it works.
ReplyDelete808, represent! OHA-certified Hawaiian ;o)
ReplyDeleteNorth Shore? Good kine surfing (no can anymore, knee all buss up from hula), get one solid shrimp shack, onolicious shave ice...
Leilani
Oh sweet Leilani, how I love thee right now! You know da kine pidgin always make dis auntie homesick!
ReplyDeleteI miss pidgin as well :o( Ova hea, when I say "Eh, you like beef?" da tidahs tink I ste offah plate lunch ;oP And ovah hea they call slippahs "thongs." I miss saying "get da kine foa da kine" or "eh, he so da kine, yeah?" , and people knowing exactly what I mean.
ReplyDeleteHave you met any other kama'aina in there? I'm moving to Istanbul later this year, and was wondering if there were any other Lilo-lookalikes :o)
PS
You can E-mail me if you want....Leilani@post.harvard.edu
Hi there Vada, Greetings from Australia. I just came across your site while randomly browsing the net about Istanbul. TBH im so jealous of you right now, your living in Istanbul, the last time i was there was 8 years ago when i was 18 and it was only a 3 month holiday. I hope to go back there soon but the Turkish army wants me for my National Service, yea i'd like to see them come down to Sydney to try lol take that Turkish Army :P
ReplyDeleteAnyways i just seen your blog about not liking fish, im the same, cant stand it unless its a McDonalds Fillet-O-Fish lol, however there is only one fish that i do like and i miss it soo much, its Hamsi yummmmmmmmmmmmm.
If you get a chance if your in Eminonu do me a favour, walk along the shoreline where all the small boats are moored and try a Hamsi in bread roll, its awesome.
Lol another thing about Turkey i remember is when i first went there i was 7 years old, my dad took me to this kebab shop, my dad says to me "Hey do you wanna try a Kokorec" i remember thinking WTF and saying "YUKKK COCKOROACH, Thats Disgusting!". Later on i learnt that its really intestines stuffed with mince meat and different herbs and spices which doesnt taste too bad actually, if you can get over the similarity of the names "KOKOREC" and "COCKROACH" lol.
Enjoy your stay in Istanbul, i hope you have heaps of fun while your over there, i know i wish i was there atm, especially since summer is starting, would be nice to get away from the dreary winter here in Australia atm lol.
June 4, 2010 9:28 AM