Ambassadors to Vatican come together to explore flavors of Turkish cuisine

By Barıs Seckın

ROME (AA) - A cooking workshop featuring Turkish cuisine was organized on Wednesday by the Turkish Embassy in Vatican City.

The event, part of Turkish Cuisine Week, was hosted by Ambassador Ufuk Ulutas at the Yunus Emre Institute Turkish Cultural Center in Rome.

It was attended by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Rome, Omer Gucuk, and accredited ambassadors to the Vatican from various countries and their spouses.

During the workshop, the guests wore gloves and aprons and prepared prominent dishes of Turkish cuisine, including Icli Kofte (stuffed meatballs), Yaprak Sarma (stuffed vine leaves), Mantı (Turkish dumplings) and Sigara Boregi (Turkish cheese rolls).

Ambassador Ulutas, who hails from Hatay, particularly assisted the guests in the preparation of Icli Kofte.

While learning the leading recipes of Turkish cuisine in all their intricacies, the guests later had the opportunity to enjoy a meal together.

The visitors expressed their appreciation for Turkish dishes.

As part of the event, a film showcasing Gaziantep and its cuisine was also screened.

Ambassador Ulutas said that Turkish Cuisine Week is celebrated not only in Türkiye but also at the country’s diplomatic missions all around the world.

"We wanted to do something a bit different, and instead of serving Turkish food to our guests, we aimed to teach everyone how to cook Turkish food," he said.

Bulgaria's Ambassador to the Vatican, Bogdan Patashev, thanked Ambassador Ulutas for the invitation.

"The Icli Kofte was very delicious. I believe I have become skilled in making the outer shell thin, but we will see the results later," he said.

He said he was extremely pleased to participate in this event, noting that learning to make "these wonderful dishes from their source is a tremendous richness."

Panama's Ambassador to the Vatican, Miroslava Rosas Vargas, said: "I am extremely happy to be here today. I really love Turkish cuisine. We had the opportunity to learn how they are made. For me, the Mantı was challenging because they are very small. I liked the Dolma a lot, but it is not easy to make."