* Turkey is one of the seven countries in the world which is self-sufficient in food.
* Now that seas have been so over-fished, demand often exceeds supply which is why fish can be expensive.
* You may sometimes receive your main course before or at the same time as your starter! This is because importance is placed on how fresh the food is and that some dishes take longer to prepare than others - as soon as they are ready, out they come!
* Food is not always as hot as most people used to. In Turkey, it is considered an insult to give guests piping hot food - there is an expression " do you wish to harm me by burning my tongue!".
* As a general rule, in most Turkish restauramts you will automatically be given a basket of bread (whether you have asked for it or not!) - very occasionally, the more "sophisticated" restaurants may charge for this.