AB Training School 2010

Bengali Salad

Tuesdays have been my favorite weekday in Bangladesh because at 2 every Tuesday afternoon nine wonderful Bangali and Garo men and women come to our house for the American-Bangladeshi (AB) cooking classes that Mom coordinates.  (Don't worry all you people who know that Dad actually is the one who makes all of our best meals on the grill; Mom is the facilitator and has only taught once.)

This is Renu, Michael, Niva, Agnes and Ratna working on pierogis.

All of the participants work as cooks for families at Dad's school or in our building, and when they all crowd into our kitchen to take turns teaching recipes they make some delicious treats!  We've had pizza, pierogis, German fried chicken and potatoes, tacos, fajitas, cottage pie, French bread, Indian pizza, roasted lemon chicken, honey vegetables, Christmas cookies and snickerdoodles this semester.

Brnjamin, Rani and Ratna trying German food

More importantly, when my new friends with Muslim, Hindu and Christian backgrounds come over it gives us all a chance to talk, laugh and pray together in the middle of a busy work day.

Rani, Niva, Sathy and Agnes decorate Christmas cookies with pink sprinkles, coconut shreds and cinnamon sugar

Michael told me that in Bangladesh only women are supposed to make the desserts, but I was so curious he let me try to decorate one cookie.

Thank you, friends, for teaching me about your lives and sharing your Tuesdays with me.  Thank you especially, Niva, for all of the sweet and salty treats you sneak me each week.  Shhh, don't tell Mom!