Turkey 3 weeks, 3 kitchens

Turkey a bigger food culture than you can imagine.

Turkey 3 weeks 3 kitchen

Challenge yourself, Turkey has a bigger food culture than you can imagine.

Just back from a couple of visits to Turkey, lucky enough to be working in three different kitchens in three different Hotels I was primarily in the costal tourist areas which may not offer the perfect exposure to the Turkish food culture.

I feel it's important if you are visiting an area or a tourist to gather new experiences where ever you go. For the food interested Turkey offers a huge cultural experience, its just open the doors or jump in the at the deep end.

Elaborate doors and entrances pave the way for new experiences

A new Fruit

Its not every day you come across A new fruit, but here's a new one for me, somewhat like an Asian Loquat and tasting a little like an apricot, two or three large smooth pips surrounded with soft and juicy yellow fruit. The Yeni Dunye are a bit brown and blemished but it doesn't take anything away from the taste I ate the soft skin as well.

Yeni Dunya

a new twist on a common nut

Available in spring in the markets and sometimes served on on hotel breakfasts buffets, just bite in and eat the whole thing, immensely popular as a a snack with the locals and a new experience for the uninitiated.

Green Almonds

What a selection

Olives

The breakfast olive selection at one of the hotels I was at, a selection of 20 different types, for an olive lover something to look forward to every day. Of the worlds 200 types of olives about 50 are grown commercially in Turkey.We're an olive country, we like our olives I was told.

One for every day of your stay

Presentation focus

Love it or hate it, but effective and appeasing

There are a lot of experienced chefs in Turkey and a lot of chefs in many of the larger tourist hotels. this experience is very visual on the buffets.

Buffet presentation, cold starters

"çiğ köfte"

Squeezed between the fingers

Raw köfte, Hand squeezed bulgur köfte they can often be a little spicy, the squeezed hand shape is important, there ofter served as a welcome at the entrance to a restaurant or buffet.

"çiğ köfte"

Adana kebab is the standard

Turkey on a plate.

On the grill grab em while they're hot, kebabs are one of the staples of the Turkish kitchen, lamb chicken and beef, not a pig in sight.

Marinated and grilled over the embers

One thing to remember, traditionally there are s no sauce served with Turkish meat dishes, so if you don't get any European style sauce with your meat, don't complain.

kebabs on the grill

It's easy to eat too much

Mezze

Mezze everywhere, great dips, snacks and starters, try em all. for those inclined the Turkish kitchen is full of vegan and vegetarian Mezze as well so theres always something for everybody.

Mezze

Sultans Delight

Turkish home fare.

Hünker beğendi- "Sultans delight" or "sultan liked it" as its known a simple dish of stewed lamb served on a bed or creamed roasted aubergines, this must be one of my all time favourites from this area, tasty and simple

Hünker beğendi

Absolut fantastic flavours

Quince and pomegranate

Spring is the time of smaller less fibrous quince we were served this pomegranate poached seasonal quince with kaymak, the quince was absolutely fantastic, the over sweet syrupy look was perfectly balanced and topped with kaymak, local Turkish clotted cream.

poached quince with kaymak

pride in presentation

Craftsmanship

The precision handiwork and skills is more than evident in the desserts, both turkish and international desserts get their attention. International experience is the name of the game here in the Turkish kitchen its just as relevant as in other kitchens around the world.

Focus on details

Baklava

Eat them warm & place them upside down on your tongue, a great way to finish your Turkish experience.