Turkish Food

Mehmet Efendi Turkish Coffee

admin — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:16:00 GMT

Mehmet Efendi Turkish Coffee By KuruKahveci from Turkey

KUNEFE

admin — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:27:00 GMT

SWEET SHREDDED PASTRY WITH CHEESE

             Ingredients                 Measure          Amount

              Sugar                      2 1/4 cups           450 g
              Water                      1 1/2 cups           350 g
              Lemon                     2 teaspoons            10 g
              Kadayif (shredded pastry)                       500 g
              Butter                          1 cup           200 g
              White cheese               1 2/3 cups           375 g

Instructions: Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice; stir. Boil for 1 minute. Set aside. Combine kadaylf shreds and melted butter in a pan. Break kadaylf shreds in butter blending well with tips of fingers. Divide into half. Spread one half in a slightly greased baking pan 25x25 cm (9x9 inch). Press with fingers slightly. Spread cheese over kadaylf shreds. Repeat the same with the remaining half, pressing firmly this time. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Let stand for 2 minutes. Pour warm syrup over. Cover and let stand until syrup is absorbed. Cut into 5-6 cm (2-2 1/2 inch) pieces. Arrange on a serving plate. Serve warm.

12 servings

Nutritive Value (Approx. per serving):

     Energy ........:  516 cal  Sodium ..........:    72 mg
     Protein .......:   10.0 g  Vitamin A .......:   334 iu
     Fat ...........:   22.4 g  Thiamin (Bl) ....:  0.04 mg
     Carbohydrate ..:   68.8 g  Riboflavin (B2)..:  0.03 mg
     Calcium .......:   117 mg  Niacin ..........:  0.71 mg
     Iron ..........:  0.58 mg  Vitamin C .......:     - mg
     Phosphorus ....:   158 mg
     Zinc ..........:     1 mg  Cholesterol .....:     7 mg

Regional characteristics:

This form of kadayif is usually served warm following a full meal. Cottage, Ricotta or cream cheese can be substituted for cheese.

KUNEFE

200 gram tel kadayif,
50 gram tuzsuz dil peyniri,
4 corba kasigi tereyag,
5 bardak su,
2,5 bardak taz seker,
1 limon.

Yapilisi

1,5 corba kasigi tereyagi ile ince ufalanmis kadayiflari ateste tereyagina yedirerek bir sure karistirin.
Kunefeyi pisireceginiz tepsinin dibini yaglayarak kadayiflarin yarisini yerlestirin.
Uzerine dilimlenmis dil peynirini koyun. En ust kisima yeniden kadayifi doseyerek ilik firinda uzeri hafif kizarincaya kadar pisirin. Bir yuzu kizaran kadayifi tekrar yaglanmis tepsiye alti uzeri gelecek sekilde tekrar yerlestirerek diger yuzunude kizartin.
5 su bardagi su ve 2,5 su bardagi toz seker ve bir limonun suyunu bir sure birlikte kaynatarak surubunu hazirlayin. Sekerin ve suyun miktarini arzu ettiginiz tatliliga gore kendiniz ayarlayabilirsiniz. Surubu sogumaya birakin.
Iki yuzude kizaran kadayifin firindan alarak fazla koyulasmamis soguk surubu sicak kunefenin uzerine dokun ve servis edin.

Lahmacun

admin — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:48:00 GMT

Lahmacun dough
With Store-Bought Bread Dough: You can purchase the leavened bread dough from the nearest bakery. Take walnut-sized pieces from the dough and roll them out until they are thin and plate size. Add the topping given below and bake for 6-7 minutes in a preheated oven at 220°C.

With Home-Made Dough: Mix together 1 kg flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tea glass of vegetable oil, some water and make the dough. Then roll it out until it is thin. Add the topping given below and bake for 6-7 minutes in a preheated oven of 220°C.

Lahmacun topping
Ingredients:
500 gr. minced meat
4 medium size onions (chopped)
1 tomato
1 table spoon tomato and red pepper paste
Green peppers, parsley, salt, pepper, red pepper
Optional: chopped garlic, mint, and walnut
Be sure to use lemon; it really adds to the dish.

The Turks and Turkish Coffee

admin — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 01:26:00 GMT

Drinking coffee is a unique pleasure for Turks.

A cup of Turkish coffee is endowed with a variety of important connotations for Turks: friendship, affection and sharing. This is best illustrated in the old saying: "A single cup of coffee can create a friendship that lasts for 40 years". Turkish coffee is such an intrinsic part of Turkish culture that it has given its name to the word for breakfast, "kahvaltı", which translates as "before coffee", and is derived from the words "kahve" (coffee) and "altı" (before).

Serving a cup of Turkish Coffee is also a way of sealing a friendship. The preparation and care taken by a host in serving Turkish Coffee to his guests is an important aspect of hospitality. In Turkey, it is traditional for a prospective bride to serve coffee to her suitor and his family when they come to ask for her hand in marriage. Accepting a cup of coffee is a source of pride to the person who offers it. This is illustrated in the Turkish expressions "his coffee can be drunk" and "I would drink a cup of your coffee".

Nothing compares to long, friendly conversation over a cup of frothy Turkish Coffee, followed by having your fortune told.

Grinding Turkish Coffee

admin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:30:00 GMT

After the hidden flavours of a high quality coffee have been brought out by roasting, the coffee must undergo one more process before it can be prepared: "grinding".

Every type of coffee is ground differently. From the finest to the most coarse, these are Turkish Coffee, espresso and filter coffee.

Turkish Coffee undergoes a much more complicated grinding process than other coffees since it must be ground to a very fine powder. In order to get the grind right, the process must be carefully monitored and requires expert supervision. As a result, it can only be ground in specially designed grinders. Combining its extensive experience dating back to 1871 with modern technology and engineering, Turkey's first manufacturer of ground Turkish Coffee, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, uses its own unique grinders. Thanks to modern technology, traditional flavour and quality is now available to all coffee lovers.

Turkish Coffee Roasting

admin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:29:00 GMT

Roasting is the briefest yet most important and painstaking stage in coffee production. This process carries a heavy weight of responsibility. Both time and money can be lost in a brief moment of carelessness, rendering the labour of hundreds of people on the fields and in the production process pointless.

The heat applied to the green coffee beans during roasting changes their colour from the original light green to brown. As the heat rises, the beans lose water. Before roasting, the green coffee beans have no aroma or fragrance; the roasting process uncovers over 900 aromas hidden in the beans.

Not every variety of coffee is roasted in the same manner. This is what makes roasting an art form. It requires experience, knowledge and expertise accumulated over many years. An experienced roaster knows the limits and potential of a given type of coffee. It is only through this skill and experience that the roaster is able to maximise the quality of the coffee.

The roasting process takes anywhere from 2 and 20 minutes, depending on the technology of the roasting machine used. The temperature is gradually raised during the roasting process, which has many different effects on the coffee beans. In brief, these are:

The light green coffee beans are thrown into the roasting machines, which have been preheated to 200 to 250 degrees Celsius.

At 100° C the beans change colour from green to yellow. The water in the beans begins to evaporate. They first exude a grassy smell, and then one of boiled vegetables.

At 120-130° C the beans turn chestnut brown and begins to smell like toast.

At 130-140° C the beans appear speckled, freckled and wrinkled.

At 150-160° C the coffee beans give off a smell of roasted grains. This scent signals that the coffee is about to reach its true aroma.

At 180° C, due to the high temperature, the beans begin to release the vapours trapped within them and the coffee reveals its true aroma. The beans turn a cinnamon colour and begin to expand.

Turkish Coffee Tasting

admin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:28:00 GMT

Coffee tasting, also called "cupping", is the sensory evaluation of coffee, which assesses more than just taste.

The senses of smell, taste and "feel" are all involved in this analysis. Smell and taste are very dependent on each other and difficult to separate in assessment. The sense of "feel" involved in assessing coffee evaluates the coffee's body. All coffee is only purchased after being tested in this manner.

Every day, the tasting team at Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi samples the flavour of the raw coffee beans in order to make the necessary analysis.

Fragrance: The term used in evaluating the smell of ground coffee.

Aroma: Based on the flavours identified in the coffee, many different terms are used to describe its characteristics: fruity, nutty, bitter, spicy, winey or chocolate-like…

Taste: The term used in evaluating the flavour of the coffee.

Nose: The term used in evaluating the fragrance of brewed coffee.

Acidity: A desirable attribute in coffee. It indicates the sharpness and bitterness of certain types of coffee.

Body: A term used to describe the physical consistency of the beverage in the mouth.

Bouquet: After evaluating the fragrance, aroma and taste, this term is used to describe the lasting impression of the combination of these factors.

Bitterness: A sharp, biting taste. Not an entirely undesirable attribute. This attribute can be enhanced or diminished according to the method by which the coffee is roasted and prepared.

Coffee Culture

admin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:26:00 GMT

As coffee and coffeehouses became an integral part of social culture, coffee became the only drink in the world to have spawned a whole related culture.

Ever since the first coffeehouse opened in Istanbul in 1554, coffee has had a tremendous impact on art and culture. Countless artists, students and teachers have come together in coffeehouses to read books, perform plays and hold lively discussions. This situation is not confined to Istanbul; throughout the world, coffeehouses serve as meeting points for intellectuals and coffee has long been the favourite drink of artists. For many years, coffee has been the chosen beverage of artists; for artists and thinkers such as Alexandre Dumas, André Gide, Molière, Victor Hugo, Honoré de Balzac, Voltaire, Ludwig van Beethoven and Immanuel Kant, coffee was much more than a drink: it was a lifestyle.

Coffee has served as a platform for friendship and conversation all over the world and has been a source of inspiration for many works of art.

Turkish Coffee In America

admin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:25:00 GMT

Coffee reached North America in 1668. The first coffeehouse in New York, "The King's Arms", opened in 1696.

In 1714, the Dutch presented Louis XIV with a coffee sapling from their plantations on Java. The sapling was planted in the royal Jardin des Plantes in Paris.

In 1723, a French mariner named Gabriel du Clieu took a sapling from the Jardin des Plantes to the island of Martinique. From here, the coffee plant spread to other Caribbean islands, as well as to Central and South America.

In 1727, a Portuguese sailor named de Mello Palheta carried coffee saplings to Brazil from French Guyana. Today, Brazil is the number one producer of coffee in the world, accounting for 35% of global coffee production.

In 1730, the British began cultivating coffee in Jamaica.

By the mid 19th century, coffee had become one of the most important commodities in world trade.

Coffee in Istanbul

admin — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:23:00 GMT

Istanbul was introduced to coffee in 1543 during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent by Özdemir Pasha, the Ottoman Governor of Yemen, who had grown to love the drink while stationed in that country.

Coffee soon became a vital part of palace cuisine and was very popular in court. The position of Chief Coffee Maker (kahvecibaşı) was added to the roster of court functionaries. The Chief Coffee Maker's duty was to brew the Sultan's or his patron's coffee, and was chosen for his loyalty and ability to keep secrets. The annals of Ottoman History record a number of Chief Coffee Makers who rose through the ranks to become Grand Viziers to the Sultan.

Coffee soon spread from the palace to grand mansions, and from grand mansions to the homes of the public. The people of Istanbul quickly became enamoured with the beverage. Green coffee beans were purchased and then roasted at home on pans. The beans were then ground in mortars and brewed in coffeepots known as "cezve".

Coffee's renown soon spread beyond the palace, grand mansions and homes.

Measurements for Turkish Cooking

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:03:00 GMT

Measurements for Turkish Cooking

1 tablespoonfull = As much as the spoon can hold

Oven Temperatures:
375 F = 180 C
400 F = 200 C
425 F = 220 C

1/4 tsp = 1 ml
1/2 tsp = 2 ml
1 tsp = 5 ml
1 tbsp = 15 ml
3 tsp = 1 tbsp

1 cup = 250 ml
3/4 cup = 175 ml
2/3 cup = 150 ml
1/2 cup = 125 ml
1/3 cup = 75 ml
1/4 cup = 50 ml

4 tbsp = 1/4 cup
5 tbsp + 1 tsp = 1/3 cup
8 tbsp = 1/2 cup
12 tbsp = 3/4 cup
16 tbsp = 1 cup

Beyaz Peynir

admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:47:00 GMT

Beyaz Peynir

Pide

admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:46:00 GMT

Pide is another kind of bred.

Simit

admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:43:00 GMT

Simit is a popular food in Turkey.It is good to eat with chese and Turkish Tea

Marmara Birlik Gemlik Black Olive

admin — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 22:04:00 GMT

Marmara Birlik Gemlik Black Olive

Best olives From Turkey

Sogut - Willow

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:20:00 GMT

Willow - Söğüt

This large tree with its deeply fissured bark and hanging branches are a well-known site in river and wetland areas. The bark is normally used, although the leaves can also be used. It is a bitter, astringent herb with cooling properties, which relieves pain, lowers fever and reduces inflammation.

Health and Willow (Söğüt)

The bark and leaves are very effective to break and bring down minor fevers and colic. The bark is most helpful to treat rheumatism, arthritis and gout, as well as diarrhea and dysentery, headache and neuralgia. The pain relieving action as analgesic is due to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by the salicin derivatives, which cause sensitization of peripheral pain receptors, and "natural aspirin" from the willow (söğüt) bark seems to have far less side effects than the synthetic aspirin made by pharmaceutical companies.

Willow (söğüt) bark extract has shown excellent results when dealing with acne and problem skin. This also works as a beta-hydroxy acid, and is included in various cosmetic products for this purpose.

Warnings

No parts of the willow (söğüt) should be used by people who are sensitive to aspirin although the natural aspirin contained in willow (söğüt) is deemed to be less irritating than synthetic aspirin.

Su Teresi - Watercress

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:19:00 GMT

Watercress - Su Teresi

This water-loving herb contains a volatile mustard oil and has pungent tasting leaves. Tiny white flowers are produced. The leaves and shoots are used. It is a pungent bitter herb, which helps to remove toxins, boosts digestion and has both diuretic and expectorant properties.

Health and Watercress (Su teresi)

It is used to reduce water retention, for wet coughs, bronchitis, skin eruptions, anemia, gall bladder complaints, as well as rheumatism. In very alternative health it is used to fight cancers brought on by cigarette smoking - such as lung, throat and mouth cancer, and although clinical trials may not have been done to validate this use, it may be an alternative to consider, as there are no side effects. This herb is great to add to salads or to sandwiches.

Watercress (su teresi) is sometimes used as a solution for ulcers and in dental fluxions. The raw leaves are excellent strengtheners of the gums and relievers of toothache. The juice of the plant is used in dermatitis and acne.

Watercress (su teresi) extract has invigorating and epithelisant properties and may be used in products for greasy skin. It also has great regulatory power over cutaneous moisture and so is incorporated in products for the bath as well as facial preparations. Apart from this, it is a great strengthener of the skin and is used in hair treatments to prevent hair loss.

Warnings

Eating or using watercress (su teresi) from the wild is not recommended, due to uncontrolled pollution and the pathogenic organisms found in nature these days. The volatile element in the fresh herbs may irritate the eyes and mucus membranes if touched after handling the plant.

Kediotu - Valerian

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:18:00 GMT

Valerian - Kediotu

It is a perennial herb with short rhizomes and aromatic, feathery leaves, with small pink or white flowers. The rhizomes, roots, and essential oil are used, but it is mostly the dried root that is used for internal applications. Valerian (kediotu) is a warming and sedative herb with bitter principles and is used to calm the nerves, help with pain relief, stimulate the appetite, lower blood pressure, relax spasms and improve digestion.

Health and Valerian (Kediotu)

Valerian (kediotu) is used internally for restlessness and anxiety, insomnia and to promote sleep naturally, muscular cramps, tension and spasm, migraine, indigestion of nervous origin, hypertension and painful menstruation.

It is useful to treat premenstrual syndrome, as well as irritation and anxiety in menopause. It is a popular ingredient of relaxant herb tea blends as it offers a non-addictive alternative to synthetic tranquilizers.

Externally it can be used for skin complaints, such as ulcers, eczema and minor sores and wounds.

Warnings

The internal use of valerian (kediotu) can cause drowsiness and should not be used in conjunction with other sedative drugs or anti-depressants. The safety during pregnancy has not been clearly established. When used internally it increase the effect of other sedative drugs.

Zerdecal - Turmeric

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:17:00 GMT

Turmeric - Zerdeçal

This is a perennial herb with a large rhizome and large leaves with yellow flowers and is a close relative to the ginger plant. The rhizomes are used. It is a bitter herb with a pungent smell with astringent, anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant properties. It is used to stimulate the uterus, digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems, normalizes energy flow and lowers cholesterol levels.

It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties.

Health and Turmeric (Zerdeçal)

This herb can be used internally to assist with digestive problems and skin complaints, circulatory disorders as well as tumors in the uterus and menstrual problems. It is also indicated to help with painful menstruation. Furthermore it is used to treat liver disease and jaundice, as well as colon cancer. Also used as an anti-inflammatory for asthma and eczema, and to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.

It has good antioxidant and anti-cancer properties, protecting DNA, and also helps to protect against cigarette smoke condensation, which could be valuable to smokers. This herb is also widely used in cooking since it imparts a bright yellow color and is an essential ingredient of curry. It is used externally for injuries and minor wound management, sores, ringworm, as well as athletes' foot.

Kekik - Thyme

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:16:00 GMT

Thyme - Kekik

Thyme (kekik) is a variable shrub with white to purple flowers. Some plants have variegated leaves and grow to about 25 cm in height. The leaves, flowering tops and essential oil are used. It is a warming herb that is astringent, aromatic, anti-septic, and anti-fungal. It helps to improve digestion, relax spasms and controls coughing.

Health and Thyme (Kekik)

The herb is used internally for respiratory problems and is successful in treating dry and whooping cough, bronchitis, excess bronchial mucus, asthma and laryngitis. It can also be used for indigestion, gastritis, and diarrhea.

Thyme (kekik) can be used externally for tonsillitis, gum disease, rheumatism, arthritis and fungal infections. It is often used to invigorate and stimulate hair growth. It is used as a tonic for hair and to help treat dandruff and hair loss.

This essential oil will bolster the nerves and help with concentration. Thyme (kekik) essential oil will boost the immune system and help fight colds, flu, coughs and sore throat, including laryngitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis and asthma.

Since it helps remove uric acid, it is good to use in gout, arthritis and rheumatism, while further stimulating the digestion and urinary tract. Thyme (kekik) essential oil is not really used in skin care, but is sometimes used to treat dandruff and hair-loss.

It has anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, bactericide, cardiac, carminative, cicatrisant, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, hypertensive, insecticide, stimulant, tonic and vermifuge properties.

Warnings

The fresh herb should not be used in pregnancy. The essential oil must be used in low concentrations and can easily irritate the skin and mucus membranes - so do not use in a bath. Not to be used when suffering from high blood pressure.

Soya - Soy

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:15:00 GMT

Soy - Soya

Soybeans are harvested from this erect bushy annual with small white or mauve flowers, followed by dark to nearly black pods, containing the seeds. The seeds and oil are used.

Soybean is a sweet, cooling and slightly bitter herb used in Chinese medicine for a variety of ailments. It has sedative, anti-spasmodic, diaphoretic (causes sweating) and anti-pyretic properties, with hormonal balancing effects and has great benefit to the liver and circulation.

Health and Soy (Soya)

Soybean is used internally in Chinese medicine for fever, headache, insomnia, restlessness, and chest discomfort associated with colds and measles. Some studies also indicate that it can be useful in the treatment of menopause and post-menopausal conditions, cancer, hypertension, aging, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Soy (soya) lecithin lowers serum cholesterol levels, and the soy (soya) phospholipids are useful in combating chronic liver disease as well as chronic hepatitis. Unripe soybeans are cooked and can be eaten like peas, while the dried beans can be cooked in soups, stews and casseroles, roasted as a coffee substitute, liquefied with water to make soy (soya) milk, tofu (bean curd), sprouted for salads, or ground and fermented to make soy (soya) sauce and other sauces and pastes.

The oil expressed from the seeds has a multitude of benefits for the skin. Soybean oil is 61% polyunsaturated fat and 24% monounsaturated fat. Soybean oil is also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, including the two essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic, that are not produced in the body. The oil has a regenerative effect on the cutaneous tissues due to the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, and therefore enhances local circulation in the area treated to bring about revitalization of the dermis.

The combined properties of soybean oil makes it a valued emollient for cosmetic use.

Not only is it a superb moisturizer, but its intrinsic phytoestrogen content is valuable in promoting good skin care. The protease inhibitor effect that it also has can play a role in fighting unwanted changes in the cell, which gives the oil anti-tumor properties.

The oil contains a high proportion of phytosterols. These components have been attributed with the improvement of certain disorders of the conjunctive tissue and cutaneous injuries, because they cause an increase in the collagen biosynthesis of the fibroblasts and enhance the reduction of reticular collagen. Phytosterols contained in the oil may therefore be used in specific treatments for aged skin, thanks to their revitalizing and emollient properties.

Their incorporation is also advisable in sun screen products due to their anti-oxidizing and anti-inflammatory action, in attenuating erythemas and peeling at the same time. The antioxidant effect of the oil also plays a role in preventing premature aging.

The presence of sugars and amino acids cooperate in moisturizing the moisture of the horny layer of the skin and give it back the elasticity and flexibility that are characteristic of normal skin.

The oil is extracted from the beans and is a good source of vitamin E as well as lecithin and unsaturated fatty acids. It can used as a massage carrier oil in aromatherapy.

Warnings

Excessive intake of soy (soya) phospholipids may cause loose stools and minor diarrhea.

Sinameki - Senna

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:14:00 GMT

Senna - Sinameki

Senna (sinameki) is a shrubby herb with feathery, lance-like leaflets with yellow to tawny-yellow flowers, followed by straight pods. The leaves, as well as the pods are used. This tea-like smelling herb has stimulant and irritating laxative properties, as well as cooling and anti-bacterial properties.

Health and Senna (Sinameki)

It is used to treat acute constipation and is useful after anal-rectal surgery, or with very painful hemorrhoids, as it ensures soft stools and easy bowel movements.

Warnings

The leaves may cause contact dermatitis and the internal use is contra-indicated in pregnancy, colitis, as well as spastic constipation. It should also not be used for chronic constipation.

The excessive and continuous use of senna (sinameki) can cause laxative dependency and may also cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and may also lead to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.

Sandalagacı - Sandalwood

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:13:00 GMT

Sandalwood - Sandalağacı

It is a small, graceful shrub/tree with part parasitic feeding habits with yellow to maroon flowers. It has fragrant wood. The heartwood is used, as well as the essential oil extracted from it. It is considered a cooling and calming aromatic herb, with astringent, antispasmodic, digestive, diuretic, analgesic and antiseptic properties.

Health and Sandalwood (Sandalağacı)

Internally, sandalwood (sandalağacı) can be used for disorders of the genital and urinary tract, stomach and digestive problems, as well as for fever and sunstroke. It is also used to treat dizziness as well as general chest complaints. In traditional medicine it is used for infections of the lower urinary tract, including cystitis and gonorrhea. Sandalwood (sandalağacı) is most useful in skin disorders.

It is wonderfully relaxing, reducing confusion and balancing the mind. In the body it acts on the genito-urinary tract and eases chronic infections. It helps to clear up catarrh, as well as a dry cough and boosts the digestive system, especially helpful in diarrhea. On the skin, sandalwood (sandalağacı) essential oil helps to moisturize and hydrate ageing, dry or flaky skin, relieving itching and inflammation and its astringent action balances oily skin conditions. It has antiphlogistic, antiseptic, anti-spasmodic, carminative, astringent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, sedative and tonic properties.

Warnings

Take note that sandalwood (sandalağacı) essential oil has a very persistent fragrance and should be used sparingly for that reason.

Adacayı - Sage

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:12:00 GMT

Sage - Adaçayı

Sage (adaçayı) is a shrubby, evergreen perennial shrub with pale green leaves. Flowers are borne in summer. The leaves and essential oil are used. Sage (adaçayı) is an astringent, antiseptic, tonic herb, with a camphor-like aroma. Sage (adaçayı) relaxes spasms, suppresses perspiration and lactation, improves liver function and digestion and has anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant and estrogenic effects.

Health and Sage (Adaçayı)

Sage (adaçayı) is used internally to treat indigestion and flatulence. It is also used to reduce excessive lactation in nursing mothers and night sweats (especially in menopause), excessive salivation, profuse perspiration, anxiety, depression, female sterility and menopausal problems. It also has supportive properties for the liver and is used to boost the functionality of the liver.

Externally, it can be used for insect bites, throat, mouth, gum and skin infections, as well as vaginal discharge. It contains rosmarinic acid that has good antioxidant properties, which are reinforced by the picrosalvin also found in sage (adaçayı).

Furthermore it has antimicrobial and antiviral effects and is often used in hair care to combat greasy and oily hair by regulating the sebum production of the scalp. It is used to treat various skin problems, such as acne.

Using small amounts, it lightens a tired mind and fights depression and grief. It must be used with great care, since high amounts can cause problems. It is useful to the digestive system, increasing appetitive, balancing the female hormone estrogen and easing dull aches and pains.

Very useful for regulating the menstrual cycle, as well as reducing night sweats during menopause.

On the skin, it is useful to refine the texture, for wound healing, as well as to clear up sores, ulcers and dermatitis.

It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue, febrifuge, Hypertensive, laxative, stomachic and tonic properties.

Warnings

The herb should not be used at high dosage or for long periods, as toxicity can occur. It should not be used by pregnant women. The essential oil of sage (adaçayı) contains high amounts of thujone, which can work as an abortifacient and is therefore best avoided in pregnancy.

People suffering from epilepsy and high blood pressure should also not use this oil.

Gul agaci - Rosewood

admin — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 14:10:00 GMT

Rosewood- Gül Ağacı

It is an aromatic, evergreen tree with leathery leaves and trivial, dull red flowers. The essential oil is extracted from the wood. The plant is used for its volatile oil.

Health and Rosewood (Gül ağacı)

Rosewood (gül ağacı) is mostly used in aromatherapy and not really as a herb as such.When over-burdened with problems, rosewood (gül ağacı) will enliven the spirit and mind, while at the same time helping to relieve headaches. It has good antibacterial properties and boosts the immune system, while others claim that it increases libido and fights impotence.

On the skin, it acts as a cell stimulant and tissue rejuvenator, making it ideal for mature skin, but it is also well suited for dry, sensitive and inflamed skin. It has analgesic, anti-depressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, bactericide, cephalic, deodorant, insecticide, stimulant and tonic properties.