1993_11 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper November 1993

              Novemeber 1993
Hye Sharzhoom
A&E—5
Class tests taste for yalanci
By Nina Momjian
Staff Writer
The Armenian cooking class,
Armenian Studies 120 T, gave students a taste for Armenian food
during the weekend Oct. 30 and 31.
Under the direction of Norma
DerMugrdechian, who has also
taught Armenian cooking at Clovis
Adult School, CSUF students
learned to make a number of common Armenian and Middle Eastern
dishes.
Thirty-four students were
present, including 26 Armenians.
Many students tried to add the
three unit class early in the semester, but it was already full.
"Wow, I didn't expect to see so
many guys, I thought the class
would be filled with girls," said
DerMugrdechian, the first time she
walked into the class from the
kitchen next door.
The class started with brief background information on historical
influences on Armenian food and
the role of church traditions such as
Lent (fasting days).
The first dishyalanci, made with
famous grape-leaves of Fresno.
Although the michoug (inner
stuffing) was already made,
DerMugrdechian demonstrated the
steps to take to role a yalanci, and
allowed each student a taste.
Within a couple of minutes, the
two long rectangular tables were
surrounded by hungry students, all
with different reactions to their
newly discovered food.
The classroom grew louder as
the students enjoyed the change
from the "lecture and notes system" to the "roll the yalanci system."
"I feel like we're preparing food
for a big Armenian wedding," said
Khatchig Jingirian Jr., a student
who shared his knowledge about
Middle Eastern food throughout the
course.
"I don't want to be a dan-digin
(housewife)," SaraDerBarghamian
said as she rolled a soft yalanci.
With the laughter and the sense
of humor increasing among the stu
dents rolling the grape-leaves,
Caroline Arakelian said, "My husband will be doing the cooking for
me,... but I'm learning in order to
supervise him."
DerMugrdechian taught the students to make dinner for their first
evening in class and lunch and final
dinner for the second and last day
of the cooking experience.
These meals included lahmajun,
dolma, tabouleh, pilav and kunefe.
By Saturday afternoon, shortly
before excusing the students, the
Armenian dishes the students had
made were placed on the long tables
and were offered as self-service
dinner with an option for take-out
as they concluded the lesson for a
taste of Armenian food.
Nina Momjian/Hye Sharzhoom
Cooking students enjoy their final results
Nina Momjian/Hye Sharzhoom
Norma DerMugrdechian serves Armenian cooking students.
Executive Editor:
Nina Momjian
Assistant Editor:
y Inger Sethov
Armenian Editor:
Arlen Soghomonians
Advertising:
Tania Alikian
Photographers:
Nina Momjian
and Matt Soby
Staff Writers:
Scott Abajian Asmar, Matt Croce,
Artak Darbinian, Lara Vahe Demirjian;
Khatchig Jingirian Jr., Aram Sarkissian,
Lara Simonian, Khajag Zeitlian
Cartoonist:
Garo Nakashian
Advisers:
Dr. Dickran Kouymjian
and Barlow DerMugrdechian
Hye Sharzhoom is a supplement to The
Daily Collegian and the newspaper of the CSUF
Armenian Students Organization and the
Armenian Studies Program. It is funded by the
Associated Students, Inc. Articles may be reprinted,
provided that Hye Sharzhoom is acknowledged. For
more information, please call ASP office at
(209)278-2669.
This Mountain
I close my eyes
and see the mountain,
quilted
with snow and rock,
a solid base
wider than a three-day ride.
I perceive
the mountain
in all my waking hours,
always looking
for it's contour
working the hoe into the soil
The mountain
is deeply driven
into my mind,
a centuries old tradition
embossed
in my very face,
ground
in my hands.
This mountain
is the ache I feel
in my arms and back.
And
I have never
seen this mountain,
nor
fallen under
the spell
of the mountain-shadow
on the farmlands,
yet, I see it's shape
in everything.
This mountain
is the foundation,
the wellspring
of my displaced people
scattered
to the many winds.
This mountain
is the final exile
of our ancient
collective souls.
By Stephan Bulbulian