food & drink in turkey

Tea and coffee

  Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love." Turkish Proverb

Making  Turkish coffee and how to read the cup afterwards !

Wherever you go, tea or coffee will be offered to you, (Çay is the Turkish word for tea, pronounced 'tschai'), it is the most preferred drink of the Turks.

The typical Turkish coffee

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee is traditionally prepared in a small copper pot called Cezve. Heat  together at the same time coffee powder, water and sugar on a low flame. When the liquid boils, then serve the 'Kahve' in small mocca cups. There are three types to order : 'sade' (without sugar), 'orta' (the Turkish word for medium, in this case little sugar) and 'sekerli' (for sweet). By the way - perhaps you will find someone here or around Bodrum, who will read your future from the coffee grounds. This is a very popular here in Turkey.   Ayran

Ayran is a beverage made out of Yoghurt, diluted with water, salted, and must be served cool . Very much appreciated by Turks - ideal when you are thirsty on hot days. A must for you to try.

Seafood 

 

 

 

 

"Hamsi" is the prince of all fish known to Turks: the Black Sea people know forty- one ways of making hamsi including hamsi börek , hamsi pilav and hamsi dessert ! Another common seafood is the mussel dolma, eaten deep-fried poached , or as a mussel dolma and mussel pilaf. Along the Aegean , octopus and calamari are added to the meze spread . The places to taste fish are fish restaurants and taverns. Not all taverns are fish restaurants , but most fish restaurants are taverns and these are usually found on the harbours overlooking the sea . 

The Real Story of Sweets: Beyond Baklava 
The most well-known sweets associated with Turkish Cuisine are Turkish Delight , and "baklava", giving the impression that these may be the typical desserts eaten after meals . This , of course, is not true . First of all , the family of desserts is much richer than just these two. Secondly , these are not typical desserts served as part of main meal. For example, baklava and its relatives are usually eaten with coffee , as a snack or after a kebab dish. So, to further our education in Turkish cuisine we will survey the various types of sweets . 

The most wonderful contribution of Turkish cuisine to the family of desserts, that can easily be missed by casual explorers, are the milk-desserts - the muhallebi family. These are among the rare types of guilt-free puddings made with starch and rice flour, and, originally without any eggs or butter. When the occasion calls for even a lighter dessert, the milk can also be omitted; instead, the pudding may be flavoured with citrus fruits, such as lemons or oranges. The milk desserts include a variety of puddings, ranging from the very light and subtle rose-water variety to the milk pudding laced with strands of chicken b st. 

    

The starters - or Mezeler

 

 

 

Hors-d'oeuvres to the full meal. First time visitors are surprised by the variety of small courses, which are offered in the restaurants. Usually the waiter brings an assortment on a large tray of portion sized plates directly to the table for everyone to select, whatever appeals. More frequently however one goes to the selection bar inside of the restaurant.

Everything that is stuffed is called Dolmas - e.g., there are peppers and vine leaves filled with rice, currants and pine seeds, fried slices of eggplants with garlic yoghurt and Humus a a spicy paste made from chick peas.

Afterwards the warm starters are served: e.g. Sigara Böreks, filled flowers - too numerous to mention. And the nice thing is this, if you are full they are not bothered if you refuse to order a main course

Dönerkebab

Dönerkebab could be the Turkish answer to Big Mac. From a big roasting *spit* very thin sliced meat is cut and filled into a special bread called Pide, mixed with onions and salad. (Very inexpensive)

 Shish Kebab

 

 

 

 

Marinated cubes of lamb grilled on a skewer. If vegetables such as onions or tomatoes are to complement the Shish Kebab, they are typically grilled separately.

A good 3 course meal at a harbourside restaurant can be had for around £6 - £10

Many more familier dishes are available - steaks, fish and even chinese and indian curries 

 

 

 

This dish consist of a thin pancake similar to Crepes. On a curved sheet of metal this pancake is baked and then filled mostly with a mixture of white cheese and parsley.

Lahmacun

 

you will see this somewhere. Something between Pizza and Tortilla, on a thin layer of pastry mince meat is spread - with fresh garden herbs - spiced with red pepper from mild to hot.

  Indulging in the pleasures of the palate is recognized as a prominent part of a memorable holiday and Yalikavak is well known for its gastronomic delights. From seaside restaurants to quaint side street eateries, there are many places where the visitor can partake in a great variety of specialties. While terms like "Turkish pizza", "Turkish ravioli" and "Turkish crepe" are sometimes misguidedly used to describe the "equivalent" lahmacun, manti, gozleme, the resemblances are purely coincidental. However, rare indeed is a person who, upon tasting, fails to relish the latter - and many visitors return home with the recipes of these delicious specialties intending to try them in their own kitchens.