Vast culinary diversity on display at Turkish dinner, Nov. 1 at the Fourth Estate
International food writer Robyn Eckhardt and photographer David Hagerman will take you on a journey through Turkey with their cookbook, "Istanbul & Beyond," at a multi-course wine dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
The dinner will pair the vast cultural diversity of Turkish cuisine with two specialty cocktails from the book -- a Purple Basil Vodka Cooler and a warm Cinnamon Rum Tea -- as well as three Italian wines. The full menu is listed below.
“Turkey touches four bodies of water and share borders with Bulgaria, Greece, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia…this results in not a nation united by one cuisine, but an array of culinary regions that make it one of the most gastronomically complex countries anywhere," Eckhardt says.
Eckhardt’ s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Food & Wine. She is the author of the blog, “Eating Asia,” selected as a top food blog by both Saveur and The Times of London Hagerman, Eckhardt’s husband, has photographed food and exotic locales for Travel + Leisure, Saveur and The New York Times. The couple live in Malaysia.
Tickets are limited. Non-member tickets are $150 per couple or $80 for a single ticket. Members pay $128 per couple or $68 for a single ticket. A cookbook is included. (Couples receive one book.)
To purchase tickets, click here.
Please address questions or any dietary restrictions to the Fourth Estate, 202-662-7638.
Menu: Istanbul & Beyond Dinner
Hors d’oeuvres
Ari Nin Midye Dolmasi, Ari’s Rice-stuffed mussels
Katikli ekmek, Soft chili cheese flatbreads
Ҫiǧ köfte, spicy bulgur köfte [bulgur paste wrapped in lettuce leaves] with Tomato pomegranate relish
Salҫali kabak dolmasi, Zucchini dolma with garlicky yogurt and tomato sauce on rounds of Fingerprint flatbread
Served with Ryhan Şerbeti, Purple basil cooler (with RÅVO Vodka, Sweden)
First Course: Soup
Bamya ҫorbasi, Lemony okra & tomato soup with garlic rubbed toast
Wine: Brancato Rosata di Toscana (Rosé, 100% Sangiovese) (IGT), IlPoggione, Montalcino, Italia 2016
Second Course: Fish
Balik köftesi, Skillet fried herbed mackerel cakes with hot pink quick-pickled cabbage and garlicky yogurt over chopped lettuce, arugula and grated carrot
Wine: Barbera d’Alba (DOC), (Barbera and Nebbiolo) Ruvei, Barolo de Alba, Italia 2015
Intermezzo
Locally made apple sorbet
Entrée
Soǧan Gallesi, Buttery lamb & onion stew with Spanakli pilav
Wine: Syrah, Rapitala Nadir (100% Syrah), Sicilia, Italia 2014
Dessert
Platter for each table: Portakalli kurabiye, Fragrant orange cookies
Incir uyutmasi, Creamy fig pudding
DESSERT DRINK: Tarҫin ҫayi, Warming Cinnamon tea [served warm with rum]