The first thing people notice about me is my French accent. This usually makes them curious about what brought me to the US (work) and they smile when I tell them why I stayed (love). While they usually are interested in the love story (it started at the cafeteria), some people feel so intimidated by the idea of talking to a French person, they’ll start sharing their knowledge about wine (which I know nothing about) or cheese (which I don’t eat).
The truth is, my family is from Turkey, I spent every summer of my childhood by the Aegean Sea, and I was not exposed to French home cooking until my teenage years.
My last trip to Turkey was five years ago, when I took my American husband to Istanbul so he could visit Hagia Sophia and the Palace of Topkapi. Our last day in this beautiful city coincided with his birthday so we each had a piece of this chocolate cake. It was sweet and delicious, just like I’d like to remember that city.