Turkish cuisine is one of the true glories of the
country. Yet Turkey has no real signature theme such as the Italian pasta or
the Spanish Paella. Instead, you ll find a rich and diverse array of dishes,
all combined in feast-like meals.
Perhaps the most
famous of Turkeys cuisine is meze, the famous selection of hors doevres
offering a huge choice of delicious dishes from spicy meatballs, feta
cheese, olives and air-dried anchovies to phyllo pies, baked figs with
oregano, small egg dishes and garlicky yogurt with dried apricots. All
washed down with some great Turkish wine. Another favourite export is the
kebab, a succulent combination of grilled lamb and vegetables usually served
with Turkish bread pilafs and ayran (a buttermilk drink).
The coastal location has lead to an appreciation for fish and seafood such
as the mussel - deep fried or poached-and octopus.Delicacies such as these
can be sampled in many of the fisherman s taverns along the coastlines of
the Black Sea, Marmara Sea, the Aegean and the Mediterranean.
But there s far
more to Turkish food than meze and kebabs. The country boasts an abundance
of foodstuffs thanks to its wealth of flora and fauna and its marked
regional differentiation. And Turkeys unique position at the crossroads of
the Far-East and the Mediterranean has bestowed upon the country a rich and
varied repertoire of dishes which can be prepared and combined with other
dishes in meals of extraordinary variety.
Dolma and Sarma
(stuffed and wrapped vegetables) are firm favourites, as are warming soups
made with lentils and Ottoman spring rolls with cheese and potatoes.
Delicious stews with meat and vegetables are served with rice, and juicy
lamb chops and kofte are simple yet unforgettable treats. Tempting pilafs
are created with chicken, fish and a medley of vegetables, and are usually
served with ayran or cacik (an iced soup of cucumber and yogurt). And dont
miss Borek-a plain or raised dough made from egg, milk, yogurt, oil and
flour with a delicious filling of meat, cheese, vegetables and herbs.
Then there are
the deserts. Most puddings are pastry-based and sweet and sticky with
lashings of syrup, honey and sprinkled with nuts. Look out for Baklava,
Lokma, Tulumba Tatlisi, Kadayif and Kunefe.
