A practical-minded child watching Mother cook "cabbage dolma" on a lazy; gray winter day is bound to wonder : "Who on earth discovered this peculiar combination of sautéed rice, pine-nuts, currants, spices, herbs & all tightly wrapped in translucent leaves of cabbage all exactly half an inch thick & stacked up on an oval serving plate decorated with lemon wedges? How was it possible to transform this humble vegetable to such heights of fashion & delicacy with so few additional ingredients? &, how can such a yummy dish possibly also be good for one7"

The modern mind, in a moment of contemplation, has similar thoughts upon entering a modest sweets shop in Turkey where "baklava" is the generic cousin of a dozen or so sophisticated sweet pastries with names like : twisted turban, sultan, saray (palace), lady's navel, nightingale's nest... The same experience awaits you at a "muhallebi" (pudding shop) with a dozen different types of milk puddings.

One can only conclude that the evolution of this glorious Cuisine was not an accident. Similar to other grand Cuisine of the world, it is a result of the combination of three key elements. A nurturing environment is irreplaceable. Turkey is known for an abundance & diversity of foodstuff due to its rich flora, fauna & regional differentiation. & the legacy of an Imperial Kitchen is inescapable. Hundreds of cooks specializing in different types of dishes, all eager to please the royal palate, no doubt had their influence in perfecting the Cuisine as we known it today The Palace Kitchen, supported by a complex social organization, a vibrant urban life, specialization of labor, trade, & total control of the Spice Road, reflected the culmination of wealth & the flourishing of culture in the capital of a mighty Empire. & the influence of the longevity of social organization should not be taken lightly either. The Turkish State of Anatolia is a millenium old & so, naturally, is the Cuisine. Time is of the essence; as Ibn'i Haldun wrote, "The religion of the King, in time, becomes that of the People", which also holds for the King's food. This, the reign of the Ottoman Dynasty during 600 years, & a seamless cultural transition into the present day of modern Turkey led to the evolution of a gr& Cuisine through differentiation, refinement & perfection of dishes, as well as their sequence & combination of the meals.

It is quite rare when all three of the above conditions are met, as they are in the French, the Chinese & the Turkish Cuisine. The Turkish Cuisine has the extra privilege of being at the cross-roads of the Far-East & the Mediterranean, which mirrors a long & complex history of Turkish migration from the steppes of Central Asia (where they mingled with the Chinese) to Europe (where they exerted influence all the way to Vienna). All these unique characteristics & history have bestowed upon the Turkish Cuisine a rich & varied n umber of dishes, which can be prepared & combined with other dishes in meals of almost infinite variety, but always in a non-arbitrary way This led to a Cuisine that is open to improvisation through development of regional styles, while retaining its deep structure, as all great works of art do. The Cuisine is also an integral aspect of culture. It is a part of the rituals of everyday life events. It reflects spirituality, in for ms that are specific to it, through symbolism & practice.

Anyone who visits Turkey or has a meal in a Turkish home, regardless of the success of the particular cook, is sure to notice how unique the Cuisine is. Our intention here is to help the uninitiated to enjoy Turkish food by achieving a higher level of understanding of the repertoire of dishes, related cultural practices & their spiritual meaning.