Especially during the holidays and the year ending on such a glum note, one can feel homesickness or even nostalgia for "better times." Let's explore what can be done about it
2020 was a hell of a year. Many people had to stay away from their families, be they in a different city or even a completely different country. Even under normal circumstances, homesickness is a silent shadow cast over you and can lead to depression.
There are several ways to beat that homesickness, and one that I personally found myself turning to is food. No, not gorging down junk food and wallowing in dark thoughts, but enjoying the whole experience of making it.
As a Turk abroad, you won't have much trouble getting your hands on some Turkish specialties if you are living in a big city – but as soon as you are a bit farther away, tough luck. You have no idea how excited I was in Germany to get my hands on those "seasoned" pretzel sticks I loved to eat during the summers in Turkey. Fair enough, I didn’t consider myself much of an expat, but it was one kind of homesickness nonetheless.
Call up your gran
No matter where you find yourself in these times, call up your grandmother or mother or whoever you used to cook with. Whenever my mother would feel homesick, especially around Christmas, we’d help her make poppy seed rolls. When the ground poppy mixed with the other ingredients, she’d always sigh and say she felt like she was home again with her mother. Maybe it is a bit nostalgic or a bit of homesickness, but we can only recommend that you hit up your most memorable recipe. The result itself is fun, and just making it will make you feel cozy.
I fondly remember those cold winter days with my grandma making some kuymak (a porridge-like dish out of cornmeal) on the coal-heated stove and me almost dozing off right next to it. No heater can give that cozy feeling but it was most fun when she would prepare the filling and the leaves for sarma – stuffed grape or cabbage leaves. We’d all sit around the low, folding table and chat the hours away as we rolled them up. Whenever I feel like I want to be part of that again, I prepare those rolls and enjoy them. You might not have the same attachment to this food, but at least you can give it a try.
Karalahana sarması (Stuffed black cabbage)
Ingredients