Turkish Cuisine

Turkish Restaurants

2007-09-05T22:07:00Z

MANHATTAN

Lower

Bereket Kebab House - 187 E Houston St. (Orchard St.) - (212) 475-7700
Istanbul (Efendi) Grill – 310 W 14th St. (Between Eighth & Ninth Ave.) - (212) 463-8626
Mesopotamia - 98 Ave. B (Between 6 & 7th St.) - (212) 358-1166
Turkish Grill - 193-195 Bleecker St. (Between Sixth Ave & McDougal St.) - (212) 674-8883
Turquoise Cafe - 143 First Ave. (Between St.Marx Pl. & 9^th St.) - Not sure if still exists
Yatagan Kebab House - 104 McDougal St. - (212) 677-0952

Midtown

Akdeniz – 19 W 46^th St. (Between Fifth & Sixth Ave.) – (212) 575-2307
Al Baraka Mediterranean Cuisine – 154 E 55^th St. (Between Lexington & Third Ave.) – (212) 546-9007
Ali Baba Restaurant I - 245 W 38th St. (Between Seventh & Eighth Ave.) - Not sure if still exists
Ali Baba Turkish Cuisine – 212 E 34th St. (Between Second & Third Ave.) - (212) 683-9206
Dervish - 146 W 47th St. (Between Sixth & Seventh Ave.)- (212) 997-0070
Divane – 888 Eighth Ave. (52^nd St) - (212) 333-5888
Marti Kebap Salonu - 238 E 24th St. (Between Second & Third Ave.) - (212)-545-0602
Pescatore - 955 Second Ave. (Between 50 & 51^st St.) - (212) 752-7151
Sahara Grill – 558 7^th Ave. (Corner of 40^th St.) – (212) 391-6555
Sahara Classic - 192 Third Ave. (Between 17 & 18^th St.) - (212) 677-7106
Sahara’s Turkish Cuisine - 513 Second Ave. (Between 28 & 29^th St.) - (212) 532-7589
Turkish Cuisine - 631 Ninth Ave. (Between 44 & 45^th St) - (212) 397-9650
Turkish Kitchen - 386 Third Ave (Between 27 & 28^th St.) - (212) 679-6633

Upper

Beyoglu Restaurant – 1431 Third Ave. (81^st St) – (212) 650-0850
Dalga Seafood Grill - 401 E. 62nd St. (First Ave.) - (212) 813-1790
Dalyan Authentic Turkish Restaurant - 1663 First Ave. (Between 86 & 87th St.) - (212) 348-4621
Galata Turkish Cuisine - 1586 First Ave. (Between 82 & 83rd St.) - (212) 452-2752
Istanbul Kebap Restoran - 303 E 80th St. (Between First & Second Ave.) - (212) 517-6880
Little White House Turkish Grill - 401 E 62nd St. (Between First & York Ave.) - (212) 223-1040
Michael's Restaurant (Mehmet'in Yeri) - 1733 First Ave. (90th St.) - (212) 410-3600
Ottoman Cuisine - 413 Amsterdam Ave. (Between 79 & 80th St.) - (212) 799-6363, 1(888) OTTOMAN
Pasha Restaurant – 70 W 71^st St. (Between CPW & Columbus Ave) - (212) 579-8751
The Sultan - 1435 Second Ave. (Between 74 & 75th St.) - (212) 861-0200
Trattoria Olio - 788 Lexington Ave. (Between 61 & 62nd St.) - (212) 308-3552
Turkuaz Fine Turkish Cuisine - 2637 Broadway (100th St.) - (212) 665-9541
Üsküdar Turkish Restaurant - 1405 Second Ave. (Between 73 & 74th St.) - (212) 988-2641

Brooklyn & Staten Island

Ayder Turkish Cafe Restaurant - 1400 Forest Avenue. (Staten Island) - (718) 368-3587
Café Istanbul - 1715 Emmons Ave. (Sheepshead Bay) - (718) 368-3587
Bay Shish Kebab - 2255 Emmons Ave. (Sheepshead Bay) - (718) 769-5396
Efes Continental Restaurant - 17 Kent Ave. (13th St.) - (718) 384-9194
Kapadokya – 142 Montague St. (Brooklyn Heights) - (718) 875-2211
Masal - 9300 Fifth Ave. (Bay Ridge) - (718) 238-8866
Masal Cafe - 1901 Emmons Ave. (Sheepshead Bay) - (718) 891-7090
Nar – 152 Metropolitan Ave. (Williamsburg) – (718) 599-3027
NY Liman - 2710 Emmons Ave. (Sheepshead Bay) - (718) 369-3322
Sahara Mediterranean Palace - 2337 Coney Island Ave. (Between Ave. U & T) - (718) 376-8594
Saray Turkish Grill - 63 West End Ave. (Sheepshead Bay) – (718) 368-4170
Taci's Beyti Turkish Restaurant - 1955 Coney Island Ave. (Between Ave. P & Quentin Rd.) - (718) 627-5750
Yonca Turkish Kebab House – 262 Kings Highway (W 8^th St.) - (718) 265-2266

New Jersey

Alaturka Turkish Cuisine – 838 Main St. Paterson – (973) 523-6060
Alanya Fast Food – 205 Ridge Rd. North Arlington – (201) 246-9787
Authentic Turkish Cuisine - 8011 Centennial Blvd. Voorhees – (856) 489-1212
Beyti Kebab Restaurant - 4105 Park Ave. Union City - (201) 865-6281, fax (201) 865-6283
Café Mavi and Kebap House – 50 Maple St. Summit - (908) 522-1055
Captain G's - 94 Main St. Woodbridge - (732) 634-7711
The Cornucopia Restaurant - 98 Maple Pl. Keyport - (732) 739-6888
Dayi'nin Yeri - 333 Palisade Ave. Cliffside Park - (201) 840 1770
Efes Restaurant - 35 Moonachie Rd. Moonachie - (973) 440-5520
Erol’s Place – 956 Main Ave. Passaic - (973) 777-8060
Garden Restaurant - 7 E. Front St. Red Bank - (732) 530-8681
Gourmet Grille - 45 Atlantic Ave. Long Branch - (732) 229-8229
Istanbul Taverna - 3301 Paterson Plank Rd. North Bergen - (201) 866-2062, fax (201) 866-0197
Kervan Restaurant Kebab House- 360 Lawton Ave. Cliffside Park - (201) 945-7227
Kofte House- 139 Anderson Av . Fairview - (201) 941-0985
Unpretentious, reasonable prices and food, mostly kofte and kebab, morning breakfast
Pasha Restaurant - 166 Getty Ave. Paterson - (973) 886-8816
Samdan Mediterranean Restaurant - 178 Piermont Rd. Cresskill - (201) 816-7343
Saray Mediterranean Restaurant - 520 Anderson Ave. Cliffside Park - (201) 313-9118
Sevan Shish Kebab Restaurant - Cliffside Park - (201) 945-9850
Seven Hills of Istanbul - 441 Raritan Ave. (S 5^th Ave) Highland Park – (732) 777-9711
Sölen Restaurant –978 Main St. Paterson - (973) 684-9821
The Sultan's Kebab House - 2020 Central Rd. Fort Lee - (201) 944-0600
Toros Restaurant - 1083 Main St. Paterson - (973) 742-6877
Toros Restaurant – 489 Hazel St. Paterson - (973) 772-8032
Turkish Kitchen - 3506 Park Ave. Weehawken - (201) 863-1011
Urfa Kebab Restaurant - 520 Anderson Ave. Cliffside Park - (201) 943-1095

Washington, DC Area

Arzu Turkish - International Restaurant - 213 Williamson Rd. Roanoke, VA - (540) 982-7160
Atilla’s Turkish Restaurant - 2705 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA - (703) 920-8100
Bistro Med - 3288 M St. NW, Washington, DC - (202) 333-2333
Café Divan - 1834 Wisconsin Ave. NW (34th St.) Washington, DC - (202) 338-1747
Café Tu-O-Tu - 2816 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC – (202)-298-7777
Kazan Restaurant - 6813 Redmond Dr. McLean, VA - (703) 734-1960
Kuzine Restaurant - 302 King Farm Blvd. Ste 110, Rockville, MD – (301) 963-3400
Levante 19^th St- 1320 19th St. Washington, DC - (202) 293-6301
Levantes - 7262 Woodmonth Ave. Bethesda, MD - (301) 657-2441
Meze - 2437 18th St. NW (bet. Belmont & Columbia Rds.) Washington, DC - (202) 797-0017
The Little Cafe - 3288 M St. NW, Georgetown - (202) 333-7677
Nizam's Restaurant - Maple Ave. W (in Village Green Center) Vienna, VA - (703) 938-8948
Rosemary's Thyme - 1801 18th St. NW, Washington, DC - (202) 332-3200
Temel - 3232 Old Pickett Rd. (Old Lee Hwy.) Fairfax, VA - (703) 352-5477
Topkapi Restaurant - 3529 Chain Bridge Rd. Fairfax, VA - (703) 273-4310
Zaytoun Bistro - 8600 LaSalle Road, Suite 501, Towson, MD – (410) 339-6303

New York State

Anatolia Restaurant - 62 Main St. New Paltz - (845) 255-3700

Long Island

Alacali Ahmet's Shish-Kebab Restaurant - 3451 Long Beach Rd. Oceanside - (516) 536-0880, Fax: (516) 536-0859
Ali Baba Restaurant II – 4 Welwyn Rd. Great Neck – (516) 487-1070
Ayhan’s Fish-Kebab Restaurant -286 Main St. Port Washington - (516) 883-1515
Ayhan’s Shish-Kebab Restaurant -283 Main St. Port Washington - (516) 883-9309
Mediterranean Kebab House – 190 Post Ave. Westbury- (516) 333-8715
Professional Kebab House – Main St, Huntington – Telephone and exact address?
Royal Maksim - 3930 Long Beach Rd. Island Park - (516) 432-2121

Queens

Anatolian Kitchen - 113-03 Queens Blvd. (Between 75 & 76 St.) Forest Hills - (718) 268-2280
Cappadocia Kebab House - 37-02 Broadway (Corner of 37 St.) Astoria - (718) 728-8293
Kazan Turkish Cuisine - 95-36 Queens Blvd. (bet. 63rd Ave. & 63rd Dr.) Rego Park - (718) 897-1509
Lailla Bar and Restaurant - 42-24 Bell Blvd. Bayside – (718) 225-2904

Boston

Brookline Family Restaurant - 305 Washington St, Brookline Village – (617) 277-4466
The Istanbul Cafe - 37 Bowdoin St. - (617) 227-3434
Sultan's Kitchen - 72 Broad St. - (617) 728-2828

Chicago Area

A La Turka -Turkish Kitchen - 3134 N. Lincoln St - (773) 935-6447
Arkadash Café - 5721 North Clark St. - (773) 506-2233
Café Demir - 2964 N. Lincoln St - (773) 755-6721
Cousins – 3038 Irving Park Rd. - (773) 478-6868
Topkapi - 2544 W. Peterson St. - (773) 274-9970 –Excellent food and atmosphere

Ann Arbor, MI

Ayse's Turkish Cafe - 1703 Plymouth Rd. - (734) 662-1711

Philadelphia, PA

Golden Eagle - 300 Bath Rd. & Route 13 - (215) 785-6926

Pittsburgh, PA

Gourmet Avenue-All Natural - 121 6th St. - (412) 471-2869
Café Anatolia Turkish Kitchen - 332 Fifth Ave. Warner Centre – serving lunch weekdays

Los Angeles Area

Avo's Bakery - 6740 Reseda Blvd. Unit #C, Reseda - (818) 774-1032
Bay Front Cafe Restaurant - 3412 Via Oporto #103, Newport Beach - (714) 675-3779
Freddie's New York Deli & Kebab House - 358 North Beverly Dr. # 7, Beverly Hills - (310) 275-2326 / 275-2171
Gülen's Mediterranean Cuisine - 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Century City - (310) 785-0504
Sunset Grill Restaurant - 200 Main St #105, Huntington Beach - (714) 969-2233
Tosh's Mediterranean Cuisine - 16871 Beach Blvd. Huntington Beach - (714) 842-3315

Connecticut

Nazar Turkish Cuisine - 1253 Post Road, Fairfield – (203)-256-8893
Istanbul Cafe - 245 Crown St, New Haven - (203) 787-3881

Madison, WI

Hüsnüs - 547 State St - (608) 256-0900
Tanyeri Grill - 106 King St - Not sure if still exists

Texas

Cafe Istanbul - Inwood Village Shopping Center, 5450 West Lovers Lane, Suite 222 Dallas- (214) 902-0919
Empire Turkish Grill - 12448 Memorial Dr, Houston – (713) 827-7475
Istanbul Grill - 5613 Morningside in Rice Village, Houston – (713) 526-2800

Georgia

Café Istanbul - 1850 Lawrence Hwy, Decatur - (404) 320-0054
Efes Mediterranean & Vegetarian Restaurant - 113 Northpark Square NE, Marietta - (770) 419-0159

Florida

ATR American Turkish Restaurant - 2465 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors - (954) 929-9911
Aura – 613 Lincoln Rd. Miami Beach – (305) 695-1100
Istanbul Restaurant - 707 N Boardwalk, Hollywood Beach - (954) 921-1263
M & M Barbeque - 591 N Boardwalk, Hollywood Beach - (954) 929-9911

CA Bay Area

Bosphorus - 1025 University Ave. Berkeley - (510) 549-9997
Istanbul Grill - 1686 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley - (510) 549-2316 Not sure if still exists
New Kapadokia - 2399 Broadway St. Redwood City - (650) 368-5500

Ohio

Cafe Istanbul – 3983 Worth Ave (Easton Town Center) Columbus - (614) 473-9144
Anatolia Café – 1097 Worthington Woods Blvd. Worthington - (614)-781-0700

Wichita, KS

Cafe Istanbul – 120 N. West St. - (316) 944-7330

Tennessee

Anatolia - 48 White Bridge Rd, Nashville - (615) 356-1556
Istanbul Restaurant - 2631 Nolensville Pike, Nashville - (615) 248-6888
La Luna - 600 West Iris Dr, Berry Hill - (615) 463-3707
Mediterranean Cuisine Star Café – 2341 Madison St, Clarksville – (931) 906- 1506

North Carolina

The Kebab House – 329A N. Harrison Ave. Cary – (919) 460-1300
Mediterranean Grill - 3608 Ramsey St. Fayetteville - (910) 482-4433
Talulla's – 456 East Franklin St. Chapel Hill - (919) 933-1177

St. Paul, MN

Black Sea Restaurant - 737 N. Snelling Ave. St. Paul, MN - (651) 917-8832

Indianapolis, IN

The Bosphorus - 935 S. East St. - (317) 974-1770

Delaware

Cappadocia Turkish Restaurant – 1108 S. College Ave. Newark - (302) 733-0430

Kentucky

Cafe Istanbul – 1 Levee Way, Newport, KY 41071 - (859) 581-1777

Virginia

Pasha Ottoman Bakery & Café – 1757-b Parkview Dr. (Chesapeake Parkview Shopping Center) Chesapeake, VA 23320- (757) 361-5221

Maine

Turkish Delights – 757 Post Rd / US Route 1 (Littlefield Rd / Route 9B) Wells, ME 04090- (207) 646-3885

Arizona

Efes Turkish Cuisine 1701 E. Guadalupe Road, Tempe, AZ 85283- (480) 897-3017

Couple of Points to Note when Eating Out

2007-09-03T20:35:00Z

* 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.

Turkey's answer to 'fast food'

2007-09-03T20:34:00Z

If you are after fast food, the Turks could almost be said to have invented it! Shish kebabs, Doner kebabs and cop (pronounced "chop") shish (mini kebabs on little sticks) are available everywhere. There's also the Turkish pizza (called Pide) which is sold in special Pide restaurants. You can choose between meat and cheese toppings and then watch it being made and placed in a special oven to cook.

Diet and Health from Turkish Cuisine

2007-09-03T20:33:00Z

As modernity takes hold, traditions are falling to one side. Spirituality as a guide for conduct in everyday life is something of the past; now we turn to Science for answers. Ironically as Mac Donald's and Pizza Huts are popping up everywhere, the traditional way of eating is also making a come-back. What our grandmothers knew all the time is now being confirmed by modern science : a diet which is fundamentally based on grains, vegetables and fruits with meat and dairy products used sparingly and as flavoring, is a healthy one. Furthermore, some combinations are better than others, because they complement each other for perfect nutrition. The Turkish Cuisine sets an example in these respects. The recent "food-pyramid" endorsed by the United States Department of Agriculture resembles age-old practices in ordinary households. Even the well-known menus of boarding schools or army kitchens, hardly known for their gourmet characteristics, provide excellent nutrition that can be JUSTIFY with the best of today's scientific knowledge. One such combination, jokingly referred to as "our national food," is beans and pilaf, accompanied by pickles and quince compote - a perfectly nourishing combination which provides the essential proteins, carbohydrates and minerals. Another curious practice is combining spinach with yogurt. Now we know that the body needs calcium found in the yogurt to assimilate the iron found in the spinach.

Yogurt, a contribution from the Turks to the world, has also become a popular health food. A staple in the Turkish diet, it has been known all along for its detoxifying properties. Other such beliefs, not yet supported by modern science, include the role of onion, used liberally in all dishes in strengthening the immune system; garlic for high blood pressure and olive oil as a remedy for forty-one ailments. The complicated debace concerning mono-and polyunsaturated fats and the good and bad cholesterol is ridiculously inadequate to evaluate olive oil. Given what we know about health food today one could even envy the typical lunch fare of the proverbial construction worker who, like all his kind, shouts "endearing" words to the passing-by females, while eating bread, feta cheese and fresh grapes in the summer and bread and tahini helva in the winter.

The variety of pastry turn-overs with cheese or ground meat, meat pide, or kebabs are the fast food for millions of working people. These are all prepared entirely on the premises using age-old practices.

One of the main culprits in the modern-day diet is the snack, that horrible junk food designed to give a quick sugar-high to keep one going for the rest of the day. Again, modern science has come to the rescue, and healthy snacks are now being discovered. Some of these are amazingly familiar to the Turks! Take, for example, the "fruit roll-ups." Visit any dried-food store that sells nuts and fruits, and you will see the authentic version, such as the sheets of mashed and dried apricots and grapes. In these stores, there are many other items that await discovery by some pioneering entrepreneur to the Western markets. Another wholesome snack, known as "trail mix" or "gorp," is well-known to all Turkish mothers, who traditionally stuff a handful of mixed nuts and raisins in the pockets of their children's school uniform to snack on before exams. This practice can be traced to ancient fables, where the hero goes on a diet of hazelnuts and raisins before fighting with the giants and dragons, or before weaving the king a golden smock. The Prince always loads onto the mythological bird, the "Zümrüt Anka," forty sacks of nuts and raisins for himself, and water and meat for the bird that takes him over the high Caucasus Mountains...

As far as food goes, it is reassuring to know that we are re-discovering what is good for our bodies. Nevertheless, one is left with the nagging feeling that such knowledge will always be incomplete as long as it is divorced from its cultural context and spiritual traditions. The challenge facing modern Turkey is to achieve such continuity in a time of genetic engineering, high-tech mass production and a growing number of convenience-oriented households. But for now the markets are vibrant and the dishes are tastier than ever, so enjoy!

Ottoman Cuisine - Turkish Cuisine

2007-09-03T20:32:00Z

The importance of culinary art for the Ottoman Sultans is evident to every visitor of Topkapý Palace. The huge kitchens were housed in several buildings under ten domes. By the l7th century some thirteen hundred kitchen staff were housed in the Palace. Hundreds of cooks, specializing in different categories of dishes such as soups, pilafs, kebabs, vegetables, fish, breads, pastries, candy and helva, syrup and jams and beverages, fed as many as ten thousand people a day and, in addition, sent trays of food to others in the city as a royal favor.

The importance of food has been also evident in the structure of the Ottoman military elite, the Janissaries. The commanders of the main divisions were known as the Soupmen, other high ranking officers were the Chief Cook, Scullion, Baker, and Pancake Maker, though their function had little to do with these titles. The huge cauldron used to make pilaf had a special symbolic significance for the Janissaries, as the central focus of each division. The kitchen was also the center of politics, for whenever the Janissaries demanded a change in the Sultan's Cabinet, or the head of a grand vizier, they would overturn their pilaf cauldron. "Overturning the cauldron," is an expression still used today to indicate a rebellion in the ranks.

It was in this environment that hundreds of the Sultans' chefs, who dedicated their lives to their profession, developed and perfected the dishes of the Turkish Cuisine, which was then adopted by the kitchens of the provinces ranging from the Balkans to Southern Russia, and reaching North Africa. Istanbul was the capital of the world and had all the prestige, so that its ways were imitated. At the same time, it was supported by an enormous organization and infrastructure, which enabled all the treasures of the world to flow into it. The provinces of the vast Empire were integrated by a system of trade routes with refreshing caravanserais for the weary merchants and security forces. The Spice Road, the most important factor in culinary history was under the full control of the Sultan. Only the best ingredients were allowed to be traded under the strict standards established by the courts.

Guilds played an important role in development and sustenance of the Cuisine. These included hunters, fishermen, cooks, kebab cooks, bakers, butchers, cheese makers and yogurt merchants, pastry chefs, pickle makers, and sausage merchants. All of the principal trades were believed to be sacred and each guild traced its patronage to the Prophets and Saints. The guilds prevailed in pricing and quality control. They displayed their products and talents in spectacular floats driven through Istanbul streets during special occasions, such as the circumcision festivities for the Crown Prince or religious holidays.

Following the example of the Palace, all of the grand Ottoman houses boasted elaborate kitchens and competed in preparing feasts for each other as well as the general public. In fact, in each neighborhood, at least one household wouldopen its doors to anyone who happened to stop by for dinner during the holy month of Ramadan, or during other festive occasions. This is how the traditional Cuisine evolved and spread, even to the most modest corners of the country

History of Turkish Cuisine and Diet

2007-09-03T20:31:00Z

The history of modern Turkey began with people who migrated from the Altay Mountains in Central Asia towards Anatolia (Asia Minor), and who encountered different culinary traditions that they assimilated into their own cuisine. The Turks of historical times led a nomadic life, dependent on agriculture and on the breeding of domestic animals. Central Asian Turks consumed mutton, goat meat, and beef, and the meat was prepared in a tandir, an underground oven, or grilled over an open wood or charcoal fire as kebabs. Kavurma was another favorite - small cubes of meat cooked in its own fat, salted, stored in large earthenware containers, and eaten in the winter months. Pastirma, a preserved meat, was salted and spiced and dried in the sun. These foods are still a very popular part of Turkish cuisine. Interestingly enough, most Turkish food is prepared on top of the stove. The oven is hardly used.

Milk and dairy products had a special place in the nomadic diet. Mare’s milk in particular was valued over sheep or cow’s milk. Nutritionists have pointed out that mare’s milk has four times more vitamin C than cow’s milk. The milk was simmered in large shallow pans and the cream, which rose to the surface and formed a crust, was widely consumed. The remaining milk was then dried in the sun and stored as powder. Milk and thick cream were the basic elements in a nomad’s breakfast. Mare’s milk was also fermented to make a strong alcoholic beverage known as kimiz, which is still widely consumed among the Turkish peoples of Central Asia. The Turkish diet consisted primarily of yogurt, which is regarded as one of the most famous Turkish culinary contributions to the world.

Basic foods also included wheat and barley. Boiled, dried, and cracked wheat is called bulgur, and is still an important cereal in the nutrition of Turkish people. Flour, salt, and water formed dough that was rolled out in round layers and browned on a thin iron plate, dried and stored. This yufka ekmek (yufka bread) is still made in the same way in Anatolia.

Chinese and Mongolian influences to Turkish cuisine include homemade noodles and manti (like tortellini). The Uyghurs (mid-eighth century) were strongly influenced in their culture by China, and it is probably during this period that manti became part of the Turkish diet. But the Chinese borrowed from the Turks adding the use of stuffed dishes to their cuisine.

Fresh fruits were consumed in season and dried for winter months. To sweeten fruits, they were soaked and cooked in water and molasses (made from grape juice).

Even with the advancements in technology and agriculture, many of the methods of food production -preserving, cooking, and baking- are still in use in rural areas of Turkey. It is interesting to note that even today Turkish cuisine holds a place of its own, resisting the encroachment of fast food in the home and in restaurants.

Many other cultures have left their mark on Turkish cuisine. Arab influences, especially in the south and southeastern parts of Anatolia included many spices – hot peppers in particular. The Persian, Hittite, and Byzantine Empires introduced different vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and parsley – all of Mediterranean origin. Turkish cuisine was greatly influenced by the Iranians use of a combination of meats and fruits in their stews as well as vegetable stews (yakni). The word “kebab” is of Persian origin. Pilav (pilaf) is the Turkish version of pulau (Persian). This confluence of Turkish and Iranian elements gradually led to a cuisine that the Moghuls transplanted to India, where it was enhanced and changed.

During the rise of the Ottoman Empire the culinary arts played an important part in court life, with the richest and most diverse flavors found in dishes prepared during the reign of Sultan Mehmet the Second, who conquered Istanbul in 1453. This enhancing of the culinary arts began (before the Ottomans arrived) with the Seljuqs, their cultural forebear. The introduction, in Anatolia, of many new foods included fruits, vegetables, and herbs that had been nonexistent in Central Asia as well as new sources of olive oil and seafood. It was not long before these new ingredients combined with the established foods like breads, dough products, and kebabs, to yield many new dishes. By the beginning of the 1700s, the sultan’s kitchen staff encompassed 1.370 people, all of them housed with the palace grounds. The preparation of each type of dish (soups, kebabs, pilafs, vegetables, fish, breads, pastries, candy, jams, etc.) was regarded as a separate skill. Alya Algar, in Classical Turkish Cooking, notes that “In 1661, a list showed that 36.000 bushels of rice, 3.000 pounds of noodles, 5000.000 bushels of chickpeas, and 12.000 pounds of salt were used in the palace; and in 1723, the annual meat supply of the palace was 30.000 head of beef, 60.000 of mutton, 20.000 of veal, 200.000 fowl, 100.000 pigeons.”

As time passed, olive oil gradually became an alternative for butter, and sugar replaced honey and grape molasses in desserts. Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, mustard, pepper, and saffron were the foremost spices used. Parsley, mint leaves, onions, and garlic were the primary herbs and seasonings.

In Anatolia, the Turks were now neighbors of the Greeks, and some Greek influence was felt, especially in the baking of round loaves of bread as opposed to flat breads of Central Asia. In addition, from the eleventh to the fourteenth centuries, many words of Greek origin were applied to fish and seafood dishes.

Today there are seven regions in Turkey, each with indigenous agricultural products, cultures, customs, traditions, and local dishes. A same dessert make in the Black Sea area with hazelnuts, would contain pistachio nuts if made in the southeast region of Turkey.

Neset Eren summed up Turkish cuisine best in The Art of Turkish Cooking: “Many of the well-known national cuisines rely on one basic element. For instance, French cuisine is based on the sauce. Pasta forms the essence of the Italian cuisine. There is however, no single dominant feature in the Turkish kitchen. Meats, fish, vegetables pastries, and fruit are cooked in an infinite variety of ways.”

Ogier Ghislain de Busbecq, a sixteenth-century ambassador, remarked of Istanbul, “Nature seems to have created this place as the capital of the world.” Since Istanbul was the capital of the huge Ottoman Empire, was so well situated it became geographically the marketplace for a large assortment and variety of food products and spices that came as far away as Wallachia and Yemen via the Bosphorous and the Dardanelles.

Turkish Cuisine has Rich Selection of Food

2007-09-03T20:31:00Z

A survey of types of dishes according to their ingredients, may be helpful to explain the basic structure of the Turkish Cuisine. Otherwise it may appear to have an overwhelming variety of dishes, each with a unique combination of ingredients, way of preparation and presentation. All dishes can be conveniently categorized into: grain-based, grilled meats, vegetables, fish and sea food, desserts and beverages.

Before describing each of these categories, some general comments are necessary The foundation of the Cuisine is based on grains (rice and wheat) and vegetables. Each category of dishes contains only one or two types of main ingredients. Turks are purists in their culinary taste; the dishes are supposed to bring out the flavour of the main ingredient rather than hiding it behind sauces or spices. Thus, the eggplant should taste like eggplant, lamb like lamb, pumpkin like pumpkin. Contrary to the prevalent Western impression of Turkish food, spices and herbs are used very sparingly and singularly. For example, either mint or dill weed are used with zucchini, parsley with eggplant, a few cloves of garlic has its place in some cold vegetable dishes, cumin is sprinkled over red lentil soup or mixed in ground meat when making "kõfte." Lemon and yogurt are used to complement both meat and vegetable dishes, to balance the taste of olive oil or meat. Most desserts and fruit dishes do not call for any spices. So their flavors are refined and subtle.

There are major classes of meatless dishes. When meat is used, it is used sparingly Even with the meat kebabs, the "pide" or the flat bread occupies the largest part of the portion along with vegetables or yogurt. The Turkish Cuisine also boasts a variety of authentic contributions in the desserts and beverage categories. For the Turks, the setting is as important as the food itself. Therefore, food-related places need to be surveyed, as well as the dishes and the eating-protocol. Among the "great good places" where you can find the ingredients for the Cuisine, are the weekly neighborhood markets "pazar", and the permanent markets. The most famous one of the latter type is the Spice Market in Istanbul. This is a place where every conceivable type of food item can be found, as it has always been since pre-Ottoman times. This is a truly exotic place, with hundreds of scents rising from stalls located within an ancient domed building, which was the terminal for the Spice Road. More modest markets can be found in every city center, with permanent stalls of fish and vegetables.

The weekly markets are where sleepy neighborhoods come to life, with the villagers setting up their stalls before dawn at a designated area, to sell their products. On these days, handicrafts, textiles, glassware and other household items are also among the displays at the most affordable prices. What makes these places unique is the cacophony of sights, smells, sounds and activity, as well as the high quality of fresh food, which can only be obtained in the pazar. There is a lot of haggling and jostling, as people make their way through the narrow isles while the vendors compete for attention. One way to purify body and soul would be to rent an inexpensive flat by the seaside for a month every year, and live on fresh fruit and vegetables from the pazar. However, since the more likely scenario will be restaurant-hopping, here are some tips to learn the proper terminology so that you can navigate through both, the Cuisine (just in case you get the urge to cook a la Turca), and the streets of Turkish cities, where it is just as important to locate the eating places as the museums and the archaeological wonders.

Turkish Cuisine One of the Richest and Most Varied

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The Turkish Kitchen is without doubt one of the richest and most varied in the world. Turkey is self sufficient, and a net exporter of food. The range of vegetables and fruits available throughout the year provides a constant source of fresh produce. The taste and preparation of the wide variety of dishes therefore changes with the seasons. There is never a reason to use tinned, preserved or frozen produce, unless it is to achieve a specific taste. The style of Turkish food owes some of its origins from the nomadic lifestyle of the people of this region during the reign of the Sultans. Even today the evening meal is often the evenings entertainment.

Meze's, the equivalent of the western 'starter', consist of a huge selection of tasty dishes served individually in the center of the table which include vegetables, meat, chicken and seafood all prepared in uniquely different ways. It is customary for everyone to sample a taste from every dish, which often consist of the same vegetable prepared in a number of very different ways. There are for example over 100 ways to prepare Aubergines alone. Eating at home in Turkey or in a traditional Turkish restaurant is never a hurried affair, and the evening meal can last for many hours. The transition from mezes to the main course is not always obvious.

The arrival of skewers of succulent lamb or chicken, supplemented by tasty rice dishes has to be anticipated at the meze stage in order to avoid overdoing the first course. Deserts are outrageously sweet and the perfect compliment to the predominantly savory aspect of Turkish food. When eating out it is not unusual to change restaurants at the desert stage. The range of sweet dishes available from the specialist restaurants is complimentary to the equally extensive range of mezes. We hope this short culinary guide provides you with an insight into eating in Turkey and gives you another reason to visit this very hospitable country. It only remains for all of us at aegean to wish you a very sincere, 'Afiyet Olsun'

Turkish Lokantas

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As in France, working people like to eat simple, well-prepared food at midday. In most lokantas you'll find a selection of meat and vegetable dishes which have been prepared and placed in warm serving dishes to await the noon rush.

A few favourites of the country are:

Kuru Fasulye, Pilav: Beans and rice
Kizartma: Fried peppers, aubergine, courgettes or potatoes served with warm yoghurt
Tas Kebab: Lamb stew served with rice and salad

Even if you don't know the Turkish names, you can walk up to the heated 'display' cabinet and point to the dishes you want. Most lokantas do not serve alcohol, so if you don't want a fizzy drink, try an 'ayran' (yoghurt and water drink) which is both healthy and refreshing.