A dinner party!

We were all dying to meet Erhan’s new girlfriend, Zehra, so Iain and I invited them along with Pat and Chris over to dinner one Sunday.

That morning I was up with the lark, getting on with making lemon drizzle cake which would be the pudding. This is a delish cake which Judy had given me the recipe for and it was sure to be a winner.

For the main course I decided on baked chicken with lemon slices, spicy potato wedges, corn-on-the-cobs and fried curried aubergine. A starter of grilled halloumi and grape salad would complete the menu.

The guests arrived and we all adjourned to the balcony to get to know Zehra and for her to get to know us. I think she was a little nervous meeting us all as, of course, we had all known Canan and were still friends with her. We, however, take everyone as we find them and found her to be quite lovely so soon she relaxed more.

I excused myself to start working on the aubergines, and soon Zehra joined me in the kitchen to help. I found her an apron and she happily fried off the aubergines while I learned about her family and work.

Once everything was either ready or in the oven, I served up the salad. Mixed leaves, black and green grapes with salty halloumi and an oil and balsamic dressing. It was very nice, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. The wine, beer and conversation was flowing and Pat was doing a sterling job of keeping everyone informed in both Turkish and English.

Erhan seemed very relaxed and happy– he was having a couple of weeks off between jobs. The work he had been doing involved him working 7 days a week, as he designed and implemented the landscaping for a large golf hotel near Belek (Antalya). We asked what he’d been doing during his time off. Apparently it involved little more than sleeping, waking up for meals – which Zehra joined him for, and then returning for some more sleep.

We asked if he’d been out anywhere? He said the only ‘trips’ he’d made were by changing beds every now and again!!

After the main course, the piece-de-resistance was brought out. The lemon drizzle cake, complete with a garnish of frozen grapes, going all opaque and frosty with the contact of warm air. Everyone seemed most impressed.

After dinner, I took Zehra on a tour of the flat, so she could cast her architect’s eye over the place. She thought it was rather large for just two people, but generally approved – although she thought my usage of the rooms was a bit odd.

Zehra has moved out of Istanbul to work on a new, massive golf hotel on the beach front at Sarigerme. She was not the architect for this project was project managing the construction and ironing out the details of the build as they arose and organising all the work. It seemed a very difficult job, and she has to work 8-6pm for six days a week. She explained that many on the site worked seven days a week, and had tried to pressurise her into doing the same, but she’d held out for Sunday’s off as the work was so mentally stressful, she had to have a break.

We said goodnight, and agreed we all try and see each other again very soon.