Fresh & frosted

Just as I was ready to write another spring article, I woke up to a frosted morning. The blooming flowers in the garden are covered with snow; it is hard to believe that it is April 23. This reminds me of another mid-April snowfall in the most unlikely geography, in Gaziantep. It was the spring of 2011; I was preparing a book on Gaziantep cookery for the Chamber of Commerce. I had a meeting early in the morning at the Chamber and having arrived at the city late at night, I was still a bit tired as I hastily opened the curtains in my hotel room; I was utterly confused and disoriented. It was snowing heavily, a scene totally unexpected in Gaziantep, I thought I woke up in the wrong place, wrong city. It was a period of frequent travels for me, so it could easily be another geographical location. I remember vividly the flash of panic when my confused mind was saying: "Damn you should have gone to Gaziantep, remember you have a meeting there!" 

Alas it was the right place. The snowfall was over by noon and the delightful spring tastes of the city were waiting for me. Gaziantep cookery welcomes spring like no other. Every week there is a new fresh taste to step on the stage. One can practically follow the advance of spring and its course from the end of winter to the start of summer. First sign is the crocus flower. When the flowers merge from the seemingly dormant soil the spring is on the way. The bulbs of the crocus contain starch like all tubers and can be cooked in stews, giving a crunchy dimension reminiscent of water chestnuts. There is even a totally forgotten crocus bulb pudding made by cooking smashed bulbs in milk, the starch of the bulbs congealing the milk just like arrowroot starch or corn flour would do.  

Then follow unripe green almonds....