Member Nation : Turkey
The Turkish Cultural Center Albany (TCCA) is a non-profit, public charitable foundation
dedicated to benefiting the Capital District area of New York State. Our primary goal is
to promote and support educational programs that prepare our community—particularly
our youth—for a peaceful, multicultural global society.
TCCA organizes after-school and weekend classes designed to enhance the academic
success of young people, alongside educational programs that foster a deeper
understanding of Turkish language, history, cultural traditions, and arts and crafts. We
also host cultural activities that promote mutual understanding and appreciation
between diverse communities.
As Turkish Americans, we purchased a building in Rensselaer to sustain the operations
of TCCA and to establish a long-term, permanent presence in the Capital District.
Located at 460 Aiken Ave, Rensselaer, NY 12144, our center fosters learning and
cultural exchange.
With 4,889 sq-ft of dedicated space, TCCA is a non-membership organization,
welcoming everyone to participate in our activities, which include Friendship Picnics,
Turkish and English classes, Turkish Movie Nights, Turkish Ebru Art (Water Marbling)
classes, and seminars on education, health, and social issues, as well as weekend and
after-school programs.
Culture
Ethnic Cuisine
Ottoman cuisine was influenced by Balkan, Arab, Byzantine, Kurdish, Persian and Armenian cuisines. The country's position between the East and the Mediterranean Sea helped the Turks gain complete control of major trade routes, and an ideal environment allowed plants and animals to flourish. Turkish cuisine was well established by the mid-1400s, the beginning of the Ottoman Empire's six hundred-year reign. Yogurt salads, fish in olive oil, sherbet and stuffed and wrapped vegetables became Turkish staples. The empire, eventually spanning from Austria to northern Africa, used its land and water routes to import exotic ingredients from all over the world. By the end of the 16th century, the Ottoman court housed over 1,400 live-in cooks and passed laws regulating the freshness of food. Since the fall of the empire in World War I (1914–1918) and the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, foreign food such as French hollandaise sauce and western fast food have made their way into the modern Turkish diet.
Ethnic Clothing
Tourist Attractions
Reference Links
Turkish Cultural Center Albany -
www.tccalbany.org
