Turkey Culinaria

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Turkey Culinaria March 15–21, 2015 Selçuk, Izmir, the Aegean Coast, and Istanbul

Transcript of Turkey Culinaria

Page 1: Turkey Culinaria

Turkey CulinariaMarch 15–21, 2015

Selçuk, Izmir, the Aegean Coast, and Istanbul

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The Aegean Coast

We were in the Aegean Region, Turkey’s western shoreline—not just the land of the olive tree, but

also the birthplace of European civilization.

The western coast of Turkey has drawn travelers for centuries, keen to explore its extraordinary natural beauty and its famous ancient ruins. In Greek and Roman times, these shores were the center of the classical world and the site of some of its most revered cities. This was the land of Homer’s heroes and the scene of the legendary battles; it was the birthplace of Herodotus, the “father of history” and the place where Cleopatra met Antony.

Greg and Lucy MaloufTurquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey

Ephesus: City of the Gods

One might naturally think that the greatest Roman ruins are to be found in Italy. Not so fast! With an ancient arena that dwarfs the

one in Pompeii, and a lofty library that rivals any structure in the Roman Forum, Ephesus—once the most important Greco-Roman city of the Eastern Mediterranean—is among the best-preserved ancient sites in the world. Set on a strategic trade route, it first won fame as a cultural and religious crossroads. Here, shrines honored Artemis, the ancient Goddess of fertility, St. Paul did some serious soul-searching, and—legend has it—the Virgin Mary lived out her last days. Today, modern travelers can trace the fault lines of ancient civilizations in Ephesus’s spectacular land-scape of ruined temples, theatres, and colonnaded streets.

Fodor’s Travel Turkey

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Turkey’s Culinary Heritage

and

Ana Sortun of

Selçuk, Izmir, the Aegean Coast, and IstanbulMarch 15–22, 2015

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A Love Affair with Turkey

Oldways’ love affair with Turkey and its food began in October 1993, when we brought more than 100 culinary experts from the US, UK,

Japan, Australia and Canada to Istanbul for an Oldways Symposium. After Oldways introduced the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid in January 1993, we inaugurated a series of culinary and scientific symposiums for journalists, cookbook authors, chefs, and food retailers in Mediterranean countries. Our purpose was to provide a context for the Mediterranean Diet and olive oil—to “put the Mediterranean Diet on the plate” by introducing the foods, wines, preparations, and cultural attractions that are the foundation of the cuisines of the Mediterranean. Turkey was our first stop on the Magical Mystery Tour of the Mediterranean—and it has lured us back, time and time again.

As Dun Gifford, Oldways’ founder, wrote in 1993: “All of the world’s nations and cities are of course unique, each from the other. But Turkey can lay a clear claim to a special kind of uniqueness, a kind of ‘terroir d’histoire.’ For all of recorded human history, and for a large part of pre-history, the tides of human history have ebbed and flowed through the vast, mountainous peninsula that is today’s Republic of Turkey. There is abundant archaeological evidence throughout Anatolia (as the Asian land mass of Turkey has long been known) of Ice Age hunters and gatherers, of Stone Age agricul-tural settlers, of Copper Age potters and metal tool makers, and of the original Bronze Age settlements at what—centuries later—became the “topless towers of Ilium” in Homer’s Troy.”

“Crusades, hordes, Vandals, legions, and armies have all stormed through Anatolia, since whoever controlled the Anatolian peninsula—aimed like a chunky Asian arrow at the Greek and Italian underbelly of Europe—controlled the Eastern Mediterranean and the riches of the east-west trade routes. How many millions of humans crossed and recrossed through this intersection of the Orient and the Occident in hot pursuit of the riches of empire or religious salva-tion, or both?”

“Turkey’s culinary history is really one of migratory cuisines, because the waves of people who washed over the Anatolian peninsula, rocked in its cradles of civilization, and crossed back and forth through its intersection of Europe and Asia brought with them to Anatolia foods and traditions from the lands they left behind, and took away with them when they moved on the foods and traditions that they found there. Ottoman scholar Tom Brosnahan wrote, ‘It is worth traveling to Turkey just to eat. Turkish cuisine is the very heart of eastern Mediterranean cooking, which demands excellent, fresh ingredients and careful, even laborious preparation. The ingredients are often very simple, but are of the highest quality, and in recipes they are harmonised with great care.”

It is for all these reasons we are here in Selçuk, Izmir and Istanbul. We are here to eat, to learn, and to bring home the pleasures and riches of Turkey and its cuisine that we will experience together. We are grateful to share this time with you, grateful to Ana and the Oleana team, Tuba, Og uz and our other friends—old and new—for sharing their love and knowledge of the foods of Turkey. We hope you will fall in love, as we have, and continue to spread the word about the glorious treasures (cultural and culinary!) of Turkey. Sara Baer-Sinnott President, Oldways

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A Message from Ana SortunIn 1997, I was working at Harvard Square’s Casablanca restaurant, cook- ing Mediterranean food mostly inspired by my travels to Italy, Spain and the south of France. One evening I met Ayfer Unsal who was visiting Cambridge and dining with my boss. She invited me to visit Turkey and to study the cuisine from her hometown, Gazientep. When I thought about going to Turkey, I imagined genies and flying carpets. I had no idea that I was about to discover a whole new way of cooking guided by spices—an approach to cuisine that would change my life forever.

When I arrived, Ayfer and her friends graciously threw me a welcome, pot luck-style lunch in the park. Everyone prepared a favorite recipe, including myself and there were 30 practiced and perfected dishes spread out from one end of the table to the other. I tasted every single one and marveled at how complex the flavors were. I realized that I had tasted 30 dishes (essen-tially making my way through a 30 course tasting menu) but I felt great and not overstuffed. Even though the flavors were big, the dishes were light. The idea of food being rich but not heavy was something new for me and it was all about the spices. That meal was a turning point in my career. I took an interest and began to study Turkish ingredients, spices, recipes, and tech-niques, eventually coming up with my own style of Mediterranean cooking that is modern, interpretive but inspired by what I learned and continue to learn from travels to Turkey and other parts of the Mediterranean.

Some unforgettable dishes that I tasted that day:Wheat berries with yogurt and Maras pepper; Lentils and chick peas with wheat berries and tarragon; Wheat berries with garlic, sweet and hot pep-pers; Green almonds cooked with chick peas, yogurt and lamb; Izmir-style meatballs with yogurt and chilies; Mung beans with walnuts and parsley; Teeny-tiny meatballs with chick peas, dried mint and yogurt; Lamb kofte and chick peas with chilies and dried mint; Green onion and garlic broth with chick peas and yogurt; Lamb chops with quince and pomegranate sauce; Smokey eggplant with lamb and tomato; Native winter squash with lamb and chick peas; Sun-dried eggplant dolma slowly cooked with rice and lamb; Fried zucchini with lamb and parsley; Swiss chard and black eyed peas; Stewed black eyed peas, chick peas and lentils with wild purslane, tomato and garlic; Okra with lemon and lamb; Lamb liver with onion and parsley; Smoked green wheat with lamb; and Swiss chard dolma with bulgur wheat and lamb.

Thank you for joining me and Oldways on this culinary journey through the areas of Izmir and Istanbul. I hope you all eat well and are inspired by what you taste. A special thanks to my new friend Tuba, who continues to intro-duce me to so much more, to Sara and Oldways for making this all happen, and to Team Oleana and Sarma—Sara, Paige, and Leah, for your hands of support. Ana Sortun Chef/Owner, Oleana

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Program

Sunday, March 15, 2015 Afternoon Check into the Hotel Kalehan in Selçuk We’ll meet at the Hotel Kalehan in Selçuk, south of Izmir, near

the ancient city of Ephesus. Take time to get unpacked, rest, and/or take a walk and explore the town of Selçuk.

6:30 Welcome with Wine and Dinner of Local Specialties We’ll gather at the hotel for an introduction to the week, and a wine tasting of local Turkish wines. This will give you time to meet and talk with your fellow travelers, and as the group gath-ers, we’ll have an introductory session with Ana Sortun, Sara Baer-Sinnott, and our guides Tuba S atana (Turkish food expert) and Oguz Göncü (official guide). We’ll follow the introduction with a tasting of wines from Suvla, an organic family winery on the Aegean Sea, followed by a welcoming dinner, featuring local specialties.

Monday, March 16, 2015 7:00 Breakfast Buffet at the Hotel Kalehan

A wonderful, traditional breakfast buffet will be available at 7:00 a.m. You won’t want to miss this breakfast before we leave for Ephesus.

9:00 Tour of Ephesus We’ll travel the few miles from our hotel to Ephesus, the leg-endary ancient city. Ephesus’ ruins are well preserved, and with our guides, we’ll spend half a day exploring and learning about this city and its famous inhabitants and visi-tors such as Cleopatra, Mark Anthony, Augustus, St. Paul, the Virgin Mary, and John the Apostle.

12:30 Depart for Sirince—Wine Tasting and Lunch After the morning at Ephesus we will travel up into the nearby

mountains to Sirince, a small village that will make you think you’ve been transported back to a Greek village. We’ll have a wine tasting and lunch at Restaurant Artemis, and then we’ll give you time to wander around the enchanting village of Sirince before we return to the Hotel Kalehan in the mid-afternoon.

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3:30 Return to Hotel Kalehan Take time to rest, catch up on emails, exercise or take a walk

before we settle in for Ana’s first cooking demonstration and dinner.

6:00 Cooking Demonstration and Dinner (see page 29 for recipes) We’ll have the pleasure of Ana’s first cooking demonstration,

and then we’ll enjoy a splendid dinner of Ana’s dishes. TueSday, March 17, 20157:00 Breakfast Buffet at the Hotel Kalehan Enjoy the Kalehan’s traditional breakfast before we check out

at 8:00 a.m., and start our drive north at 8:30 a.m. toward Izmir, to Urla.

10:00 Fish Auction in Urla Our first stop will be the daily fish

auction in Urla. Every day of the week a fish auction is held in Urla in the small market at 10:00 a.m. It is recommended to get there a little early, to take a look at the fish being auctioned. Each day the fish supply is different, depending on what the local fishermen caught the previous night.

11:00 Katmer After the hustle and bustle of the fish market, we’ll walk along

the dock to Unal Kardesler Katmer Salonu (katmer restaurant). There we’ll have the opportunity to watch katmer being made, and then have a taste of this breakfast dish—pastry dough, cooked on a griddle, filled with meat or cheese.

12:00 Urlice Winery – Light Lunch and Wine Tasting We’ll leave Urla for the Urlice Winery, a family owned and oper-

ated boutique winery, for a light lunch and wine tasting. Urlice Winery is run and owned by Bilge and Reha Ögünlü. Bilge is an architect and Reha is a musician, after living in the US for many years they decided to return to their hometown and produce wine.

2:00 Check into Swissotel in Izmir After lunch we’ll drive back to Izmir and check in at the

Swissotel, a five star hotel surrounded by landscaped gardens and overlooking the Kordon (waterfront promenade). You’ll have free time in Izmir before dinner—to rest, to explore Izmir’s waterfront or Izmir’s souk, the Kemeralti Market.

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7:30 Dinner at the Aquarium Restaurant We won’t need to travel far for dinner—we’ll meet at the

Swissotel’s Aquarium Restaurant on the first floor. You will feel like you are in an aquarium, as the restaurant has a view into the pool of the hotel. As we’re looking into the pool, or out to the sea, our dinner will feature seafood, and we’ll be serenaded with local music.

WedneSday, March 18, 20157:00 Breakfast at the Swissotel Enjoy a wide range of local and international specialties at the

breakfast buffet.

9:00 Depart Izmir After breakfast at the Swissotel, we’ll drive west again and visit

Ildiri and the ancient site Erythrai.

10:00 Arrive in Ildiri and Visit to Erythrai In the village of Ildırı, we will tour Erythrai, one of the 12 cities

of Asia Minor. It was famous for producing millstone, wine and timber. We will climb from the theater to the Athena temple to get a view of the Greek island of Chios.

12:30 Depart Ildiri and Lunch and Visit in Alaçatı After this cultural stop, we’ll drive to the coast to Alaçati,

where we’ll have a wonderfully local and special lunch at Asma Yapragı. After lunch we’ll give you free time to walk through the city, stop for tea and pastries or custard at a local pastry shop. After all the day’s activities we’ll drive back to Izmir where you’ll have a free evening for a night on the town at one of Izmir’s restaurants, or a quiet room service evening before we leave for Istanbul the next day.

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4:30 Depart for Izmir

Evening Free evening – Dinner on your own Please see our suggestions on page 26 for restaurants to

enjoy on your own. Remember, we’ll be leaving very early on Thursday morning.

ThurSday, March 19, 2015Morning Istanbul, Kadikoy and Çiya Up early, early early (we’ll specify the time the day before) to

get to the Izmir airport. We’ll catch an 8:05 a.m. flight from Izmir en route to the Sabiha Gokcen Airport on the Asian side of Istanbul.

We’ll visit both the Florence Nightingale Museum, where she was a nurse during the Crimean War and the market district of Kadıköy, an un-touristy section of Istanbul on the Asian side.

1:30 Lunch at Çiya We’ll have lunch at Çiya with Chef Musa Dagdeviren. We won’t

say anymore about Çiya, but know that it is one of Ana’s favor-ite restaurants anywhere in the world. See page 12 for informa-tion on Çiya and Chef Musa.

Afternoon Cruising the Bosphorus Kadiköy is also home to the ferries that cross the Bosphorus

to the European side of Istanbul. We’ll take a cruise and then be picked up by our buses (with our luggage) and check into the Hagia Sophia Old City Istanbul Hotel in Sultanahmet (Old Istanbul or Stamboul).

Evening Free Evening – Dinner on your own Knowing you may not be hungry after a Çiya lunch, we’ve left

the evening free, so you can explore on your own, or settle in with room service. Please see Ana’s suggestions on page 27 for restaurants to enjoy on your own.

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Friday, March 20, 20157:00 Breakfast Buffet Enjoy breakfast at the Hagia Sophia Old City before setting off

for our first full day in Istanbul.

9:00 Tour of Topkapi and Hagia Sophia Our first stop after breakfast on Friday morning is a visit to

Topkapi for a guided tour of the Ottoman Sultan’s palace with Oguz, followed by another guided tour of the world class Hagia Sophia. For those who are interested, we will continue to the Blue Mosque.

Lunch Lunch on your own You’ll be on your own for lunch, to enjoy a local restaurant. 5:00 Cooking Demonstration and Dinner (see page 34 for recipes) In the late afternoon we’ll meet to go to the Istanbul Culinary

Institute for our second cooking class with Ana. The Istanbul Culinary Institute pro-vides professional culinary education and also aims to support international information exchange and sharing. After Ana’s cooking class, we’ll enjoy some wine and amuse bouche, followed by a dinner of all the dishes Ana taught us.

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SaTurday, March 21, 20157:00 Breakfast Buffet Enjoy breakfast at the Hagia Sophia Old City before setting off

for our last day together.

8:30 Spices, Stores and Fatih After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll

start the morning with a visit to the Spice Market. Tuba will take us to a spice tasting at one or two shops (her favorite and Ana’s favorite), and then we’ll walk from there to the nearby Fatih district. Along the way we’ll stop at a local knife shop, a small and old Turkish delight shop, and then the Fatih market. For those who don’t want to walk, we’ll have a bus to take you from the spice shop to the Fatih district.

12:30 A Fatih Lunch We’ll have lunch at Seref Büryan Salonu in Fatih, a traditional

kebap restaurant. Afternoon Free time After lunch you’ll have free time in the afternoon—time for

shopping, packing, resting, or visiting places we didn’t have time to visit.

7:30 Gala Dinner We’ll leave the hotel for our Gala dinner at Surplus, a new

restaurant owned by Vedat Basaran, a friend of Oldways and Oleana. The glass-surrounded restaurant has views of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn, and our dinner will feature new takes on Turkish traditions.

Sunday, March 22, 2015Departures or touring on your own!

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Ana Sortun

With a degree from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Paris, the Seattle-born Ana Sortun

opened Moncef Medeb’s Aigo Bistro in Concord, Massachusetts, in the early 1990s. Stints at 8 Holyoke and Casablanca in Harvard Square, Cambridge soon followed.

This was all in the beginning of her career, when Sortun was still cooking what most people think of as typical Mediterranean food from Spain, south-ern France and Italy. People loved it. While at Casablanca, a friend of the owner invited Sortun to

study in Turkey. Not knowing anything about Turkish food or culture but eager to learn, she accepted. (“I imagined flying carpets and genies,” she says wryly.) But when she arrived in southeastern Turkey, Sortun’s host and her friends presented a potluck of sorts. “I tasted 30 amazing dishes from these women’s family repertoires,” Sortun remembers. “I was stunned at how rich and interesting yet light everything was.”

Upon her return to Boston, she wanted to fuse her newfound love of Eastern Mediterranean spices with her passion for using only the best in-gredients. The result of this union was Oleana, which opened in Cambridge in 2001. A mere four years later, Sortun won a coveted and prestigious James Beard Award.

Sortun’s commitment to locally grown food took a turn for the personal when a farmer selling spinach turned up at the back door of Oleana one day. “I knew then that I would marry him,” Sortun says. Since 2006, Siena Farms has been providing the restaurant with most of its fresh, organic produce. It is owned and farmed by the chef’s husband, Chris Kurth, and named after the couple’s daughter.

Not content to rest on their laurels, Sortun, business partner Gary Griffin and pastry chef Kilpatrick decided they wanted to launch a more casual venue. Three years of brainstorming later, in August of 2008, Sofra was born in Cambridge, Mass. This Middle Eastern bakery, café and retail shop offers flatbread sandwiches, mezzes, prepared foods and baked goods. It has received both local and national press; Food & Wine, Metropolitan Home and Gourmet have all featured it as a place not to miss.

With former Oleana Chef de Cuisine Cassie Pluma, they also opened Sarma in 2013, a restaurant and bar where food, drink, and music come together in a vibrant celebration of the good things in life. Modeled after the traditional meyhanes of Turkey, the menu is a large selection of small seasonal plates that are designed to be shared.

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“If you’ve ever wondered how some of the world’s healthiest and best-tast-ing foods seem to wind up in your favorite home recipes and restaurants these days, you’ll be glad to know it’s not by accident. You have friends in the business.” Cooking Light Magazine, about Oldways

Let the old ways be your guide to good health and well-being.

Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to guide people to good health through heritage, using practi-

cal and positive programs grounded in science and tradition. Simply, we advocate for the healthful pleasures of real food.

At Oldways, we are more determined than ever to help everyone, ev-erywhere, live longer and healthier lives. We will do this by continuing to encourage people to seek out the joys of good foods and drinks, well pre-pared and consumed with pleasure, in the company of family and friends. That is the profound and worthy mission that drives us and our partners every day.

Healthy eating and healthy foods have the power to improve the health and well-being of all of us. Science and common sense tell us that good health and good food go hand in hand. The healthy old ways have a special importance and impact because they bring together: (1) good nutrition with delicious foods, (2) culture and heritage, and (3) eating, shopping and cooking. As Michael Pollan wrote in The New York Times on Sunday, October 2, 2011, “I have yet to hear of a traditional diet—from any culture, anywhere in the world—that is not substantially healthier than the ‘stan-dard American diet.’ The more we honor cultural differences in eating, the healthier we will be.”

The healthy old ways also have the power to bring people and communities together. As Michelle Obama said about the importance of food, culture and heritage, “Food can be a symbol of cultural identity; it knits families together. What I’ve come to appreciate is whether you’re African-American, Puerto Rican, Dominican or Cuban, food is love.”

Oldways was founded in 1990 to address health issues (increasing rates of obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other diseases of excess) and to preserve culinary traditions, helping people make healthy connections to their food (cooking and eating real foods) and their heritage.

We learned early on that change happens by motivating individuals and influ-encers to move in a common direction. Working throughout the world—from Australia to Brazil and from Italy to the U.S.—Oldways has collaborated with hundreds of international experts including scientists, health care profession-als, chefs, historians, food producers and food writers to create “mini-move-ments” that have inspired millions of people to change the way they eat.

Learn more at www.oldwayspt.org.

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Musa Dag deviren

Musa Dag deviren is the chef and owner of three restaurants including Çiya, in Istanbul, Turkey.

His impact on Turkish cuisine and especially on kebab houses in Istanbul is in large part a tribute to his extensive knowledge of Turkish, Eastern Mediterranean, and Arabic kitchen traditions. Chef Dag deviren and his restaurants have earned rave reviews including a spot on the 2006 “Saveur 100,” a list of the best and most exciting chefs, restaurants, foods and drinks from around the world.

I LOVE Chef Musa from ÇiyaChef Musa is one of the most exciting chefs I have

ever worked with. A trip to Istanbul just for his food I would make! I was introduced to him 15 years ago by my friend Ferda Erdinç who brought me there for lunch one day. I was so excited about what I was seeing and tast-ing that I couldn’t keep my seat. I got up every second to look at what he was doing and ask questions. Musa is a culinary anthropologist. He spends a lot of time researching traditional dishes that are dying and brings them back to life at his restaurants. He seeks out local, wild foods and re-intro-duces them to people. His food is interesting, rich, soulful and delicious. In the past 10 years, Musa has become recognized all over the world.

Ana Sortun

Introduction to Turkish Cuisine

Great empires have created great cuisines, and the fertile land and the skill of the farmers and fishermen of the Turkish empire have combined

with the enthusiasm and abilities of its chefs and home cooks to produce fine, taste dishes that have ensured a place for Turkish food alongside French and Chinese as one of the three foremost examples of the culinary art in the world.

During the course of its evolution from the Turkish tribes of Central Asia to the present day, Turkish cuisine has acquired an individual character which is expressed in the layout of the kitchen, the cooking utensils, the range of dishes and cooking methods, the presentation of food and serving customs. Every branch of the cookery is treated as equally deserving of being rich in variety and succulence. Nevin Haliçi Turkish Cookbook, 1989

Turks cook with feeling, devotion and imagination. Appreciation for good food is an incentive for the cook to prepare even better dishes. Turks mostly conclude a meal by saying “elinize sağlik” to whoever cooked the meal. If translated literally it means “may God give health to your hands.” In response to this, the cook says “afiyet olsun” meaning bon appétit.

Gülseren Ramazanoglu Turkish Cooking, 1992

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Like all major culinary traditions, that of Turkey is marked simultaneous-ly by unity and diversity. The unity derives ultimately from the traditions

of the Ottoman palace, which, filtering down to the population at large in modified form, became the foundation for a common national cuisine. This classic cuisine has always been cultivated in its fullest form in Istanbul, and from there conveyed to the provinces through family ties or other linkages with that great metropolis.

The assimilation of the food of Istanbul by the provinces has, however, been subject to significant regional variations. Local tastes, as well as availability of ingredients, have often dictated the use of certain foods in preference to others. Thus the meat dolmas of Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey tend to be spicier than elsewhere because of their heavier use of cumin, peppers, and garlic, while the yogurt soups of eastern Anatolia substitute sweet basil for mint and wheat for rice. In the Aegean area there is a tendency to cook everything in olive oil—even baklava, in violation of the national consensus that it should be cooked in butter. Furthermore, the popularity of certain dishes is uneven throughout the country. Olive oil dishes, for example, are rare in central and eastern Anatolia, areas with a strong preference for meat dishes, and are cooked mostly by those with an Istanbul background. In addition to these regional variations on Istanbul cuisine, fully distinct regional traditions of great richness and antiquity also exist. Collectively, these might be designated as Anatolian cuisine, for they owe nothing to the cuisine of Istanbul, although they are to be found side by side with it. Anatolian cuisine deserves separate and detailed treatment; we will concentrate in this book on the cuisine shared by the whole country, offering only a few glimpses of regional specialties.

Ayla Algar Classical Turkish Cooking: Traditional Turkish Food for the American Kitchen

Turkey

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A Country of Many Pasts and Peoples

Modern Turkey is surely one of the most intriguingly positioned countries in the world, linking, as it does, the two continents of Europe and Asia.

Only around 3 percent of the landmass is in Europe, however—the region of Thrace, which spreads from the northern shores of the Bosphorus Strait up into the southeastern tip of the Balkan Peninsula.

The remaining geographically diverse landmass is in Asian Turkey, also known as Anatolia or, in ancient times, as Asian Minor. A glance at the map shows that Anatolia is a large peninsula, jutting westward out of Asia to nudge up close to European soil at the Gallipoli Peninsula and Istanbul. In fact, Anatolia and Thrace are separated by three bodies of water, the Bosphorus, the inland Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles. At the closest point, in the city of Istanbul, the two continents are a mere half mile apart, and are linked by two long suspension bridges.

As a peninsula, Turkey is surrounded on three sides by water and boasts more than 4,000 miles of thickly forested and spectacularly beautiful coastline. To the north, Turkish fisherman catch turbot, tuna, mackerel and salty anchovies (hamsi) from the free-flowing waters of the Black Sea; to the west, the Aegean Sea is dotted with islands, big and small, while the sunny Mediterranean shores to the south lure thousands of vacationers every year.

As well as being spec-tacularly beautiful, Turkey has a long and fascinating history. It is a country that has won and lost greatness, where successive empires have trampled each other underfoot in their determi-nation to seize this jewel of the Mediterranean. There can be little doubt that its geographic, straddling seas and continents, goes a long way to explaining Turkey’s rich and varied history.

The Anatolian peninsula is crisscrossed by ancient trading routes from East to West, while control of the straights, which divide modern-day Istanbul, allowed successive empires to regulate the movement of ships between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It is little wonder that wave upon wave of invaders from all directions have washed through the country from the earliest days of civilization.

Greg and Lucy Malouf Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey

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The Food

We found that there’s a definite ten-dency to divide Turkish food into

two camps: Ottoman and Anatolian. In other words, a distinction between the food of the urban rich and the food of the rural poor. The reality, of course, is far more complicated. Turkish cooking today is an interweaving of many different but complimentary strands that together create a gorgeous and vibrant culinary tapestry.

Both rural Anatolian and sophisticated Ottoman cuisines are a legacy of the country’s rich and varied history, the complex interchange and cross-fertiliza-tion of culinary traditions and influences that have washed through the country down the centuries. Their ingredients and recipes are drawn from such diverse parts of the world as Central and Far East Asia, Persia, Arabia, the Balkans and the Mediterranean.

Growers, sellers and consumers all share a respect for the food they eat. Turks are fussy about the quality of their food and demand that it be the best, the freshest, the most intensely flavored. This means that produce markets are almost always limited to what is seasonally available—you won’t find expensive strawberries in Turkish market stalls in the middle of winter.

And when it comes to food preparation, the same respectful approach ap-plies. As one Turkish food writer told us: Turkish food is not about experi-mentation, it is about technique—about cooking a particular dish in the time-honored way, in the very best way you can.

While Turks may well be determined to preserve and protect their food traditions, it seems that it is not entirely at the expense of innovation. The winds of change do seem to be blowing—or at least wafting gently—through the country’s food scene. In recent years, for instance, a small number of passionate chefs have been introducing Istanbullus to the plea-sures of rural “peasant” food, while still others have taken the first tentative steps toward experimenting with classic dishes and ingredients. There will always be purists who are horrified by this sort of “messing around” with traditional dishes, of course, but we are all for progress and evolution in the kitchen. And, in the end, perhaps the most important culinary legacy that the Ottomans left to modern-day Turkey is the importance of taking risks and a willingness to experiment. After all, has it not been demonstrated that out of such boldness and creativity, greatness has come?

Greg and Lucy Malouf Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey

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Mezze

Imagine a table piled high with tempting salads, plump stuffed grape leaves, roasted peppers,

dips, kebobs, spicy sausages, spinach pies, and pickled vegetables. Such a spread would be a popular presentation of mezze, Middle Eastern appetizers. I don’t think there is an hors d’oeuvres table in the world that can match one with Middle Eastern mezze at their best. For all its honest simplicity, it is extremely elegant food, full of exotic aromas and vibrant colors, fragrant with sweet spices and pungent flavors. Dishes refreshed by yogurt, soothing creamy purees, and the tantalizing smokiness of grilled eggplant provide a variety of tastes and textures that contrast and entwine like the intricate motifs in a Turkish carpet.

Paula WolfertThe Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean: 215 Healthy, Vibrant, and Inspired Recipes

Mezze are ideally suited to the Western way of life. A small assortment can be served with drinks at parties, and a wider choice provides an

exciting buffet dinner.There are many different kinds of mezze, simple and elaborate.

Nuts of all types; salted and soaked chickpeas; olives; cucumbers cut into long thin slices and sprinkled with salt half an hour before serving; quar-tered tomatoes; pieces of cheese cut into small cubes or long sticks, some-times grilled or fried—these provide mezze which require little or no work.

Salads are popular as mezze. So is every type of pickle. Sauces or dips made with tahini (sesame paste), chickpeas, and eggplant are greatly favored. They are eaten with little pieces of Arab bread.

Myriads of “miniature foods,” sometimes exact but diminished replicas of main dishes of meat, chicken, and fish, can be served. Favorites are grilled or fried chicken livers, fried cubes of lamb’s or calf’s liver served hot or cold, small minced meat, chicken, or fish balls, and savory little pastries such as borek and pies. Stuffed vine leaves are popular in all their forms.

Claudia Roden A Book of Middle Eastern Food

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Red Pepper Makes the Dish

Pepper first came to Turkey from the Americas, and now red pepper flakes are being exported from Turkey to America.

The production of red pepper flakes is a big industry in Southeastern Turkey. There are four big sites just for producing pepper in Maras. The hot red pepper is grown in the Maras plain, Islahiye plain and some also in the Adiyaman plain. During the months of August and September you will see all the fields returned to red! In Turkish food, pepper is the number one ingredient to be added to dishes. You’ll notice in nearly all the restaurants we dine, a special red pepper bowl sits on each table.

There are various ways to produce red pepper flakes, but you will taste two main kinds—red and the other very dark, like purple or black.

The red kind is strictly dried under the sun and then ground. The dark one is smoked, in a way. The peppers are kept in bags under strong sunshine, where they don’t get any air. Then the peppers are laid out on the hot surface of house tops in the late evening, which have really absorbed all the heat of the sun during day time. In the morning the peppers are put again in airtight bags and left un-der the sun. By this way, the bright color of red pepper turns to dark purple and has a smoked taste. After the peppers are completely dried, they are ground. This type of pepper is also good with bulgur dishes, especially with the always-favorite bulgur paddies. There are other methods, too, such as drying them in the oven.

Red pepper paste is made from fresh red pepper which is grown towards end of August and mid September. Fresh red pepper is ground and laid un-der sun shine to be cooked by the strong heat of the summer sun. The juicy red pepper is stirred while it is under the sun, and after a few days it be-comes a thick pepper paste, depending on the depth of the tray used. Only some salt and olive oil are added, and then the red pepper paste is stored in glass jars. The red pepper paste lasts forever, and is used for all kind of meals, especially bulgur dishes. The traditional bulgur salad—kisir—has no taste without red pepper paste!

Ayfer Unsal Journalist, Cookbook Author,

Turkish Culinary Expert

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An Essential Turkish PantryMastic: resin from a tree that grows on the island of Chios. It is also a plant resin taken from a Mediterranean shrub.

Sumac: crimson colored berry that is ground. Tart and slightly sour flavor like lemon.

Pomegranate molasses: a thick, tart syurp that is used in salads and cooking made from pomegranate juice. Delicious with lamb stews or any lamb preparation. I rec-ommend bringing some back because the commercial varieties available in the US are not nearly the quality that we will find in the markets in Turkey.

Tahini: sesame paste made from sesame seeds. In Turkey, they like to double roast the sesame seeds.

Sahleb: orchid root from wild orchids with sweet flavor. Used to flavor ice cream and to thicken a warm milk drink.

Dried Spearmint: sweet, warm flavor. Try using spearmint in place of oregano in your favorite tomato sauce

Maraş pepper: rich, oily, sweet, caramelized flavor with mild heat from Maraş.

Red pepper paste: artisinally, this is made like tomato paste where sweet and hot peppers are dried in the sun to concentrate the flavors into a paste. Use in place of tomato paste in vegetable or meat preparations.

Baharat: this literally means spice. A loose word for spice blend. Baharat’s can vary by the region, recipe, person, etc. A cook mixes a baharat as they are cook-ing. For instance, if it’s a hot day and they are making grilled lamb the baharat would be blended one way. If it was a cold day and they were braising lamb the ba-harat would be made another. The range can be from 7 to 15 different spices.

Nigella seeds: have a slightly bitter taste like celery seed. You see these seeds all over the breads, crackers and in string cheese. They are not the same as black sesame seeds which they often get confused for.

Ana Sortun

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Traditional Turkish DishesBiber dolması: stuffed pepper

Börek: pastry that is filled with cheese and vegetables or meat

Dolma: vegetables stuffed with rice or spiced meat and then cooked in olive oil

Dondurma: Turkish ice cream, but with a much thicker, stickier texture than the Western variety. Distinctive, and definitely worth trying!

Gözleme: flat bread that is stuffed with spin-ach, feta, or meat.

Kebab: (or kebap) simply means “roasted,” and usually refers to lamb roasted in some form, but may refer to chicken—or even (roasted) chestnuts—as well. The most famil-iar Turkish kebap is shish kebap: chunks of lamb roasted on a skewer.

Köfte: a bulgur-based pate or dough. It is used to make small, round meat-balls—often lamb or mutton—mixed with onions, spices, and crumbled bread.

Künefe: a dessert made with shredded phyllo dough (called kadafi). The dough is filled with sweet cheese, baked, and then soaked in a sweet syrup.

Manti: tiny, meat-filled pasta often topped with garlic yogurt and a spicy tomato sauce.

Pilaf: Generally made of rice, but also of bulgur and sehriye (vermicelli). A staple of the Turkish table, pilaf may include eggplant, chick peas, beans, or peas.

Simit: ring-shaped snack bread that is often covered with sesame seeds.

Yaprak sarma: Vine leaves stuffed with rice, herbs, and pine nuts.

Rakı

Rakı is a clear brandy flavored with pungent anise. Most rakı is quite potent (80 to 90 proof/40% to 45%

alcohol) and thus diluted with water and sipped. It is similar to Green ouzo and French pastis. When mixed with ice and/or water for drinking, it turns milky white. Because of its color and hefty alcoholic punch, Turks call it lion’s milk (aslan sütü).

How to drink rakı: Fill a clear, straight, narrow glass 1⁄3 or 1⁄2 full with rakı, then dilute with water and/or ice to taste.

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Coffee

Coffee plays a special role in both the culture and cuisine of Turkey. Beans are ground to an ultrafine texture, and the coffee itself can be

served with very little—or very much—sugar. Usually served after meals, Turkish coffee is meant to be enjoyed with others, and the reading of for-tunes in the grounds is one important part of the social ritual.

Turkish Coffee For this classic drink, you will need a medium-size Turkish coffee pot (available at www.kalustyans.com) and 4 demitasse cups.

Makes 4 Coffees

4 tablespoons finely ground espresso, as fine as powdered sugar

4 teaspoons sugar4 demitasse cups full of cold water

(about 1/3 cup)

Place coffee, sugar, and water in the coffee pot, and do not stir. Cook over high heat until the sugar starts to melt and the coffee looks shiny, about 3 minutes. The coffee will get hot and the mixture will start to collapse. At this point, remove from the burner and stir the coffee with a spoon. Place the mixture back on the heat. Holding the pot, watch and wait until the cof-fee is not quite ready to boil, but begins to rise to the top of the pot.

Remove from the heat and let it sit for 1 minute, then turn the heat on high and wait for the coffee to rise to the top of the pot again. This should take only 10 to 15 seconds, so make sure to watch the pot carefully. Repeat the process once more, for a third rising.

After the third rising, carefully skim a little bit of the foam—or crema—from the top and divide it equally into 4 demitasse cups.

Slowly pour the coffee into each cup, equally dividing the coffee. There should be a litte crema on the top of each coffee.

Sip the coffee to the grounds, turn the cup over onto the saucer, and let the grounds settle. Refer to Ayfer Unsal’s Guide to Reading Fortunes in Your Coffee Grounds for interpretation.

Ana Sortun Spice, Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean

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Turkish Coffee Enters UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List

He was excited, Özgür, he has been my partner in coffee crime for more than 15 years, ‘I have some great news for you, about Turkish coffee...’ He has been working at/with Turkish Coffee Culture and Research Association (TCCRA) from the day it was founded, witnessing Turkish coffee getting back its reputation, climbing to the place it longs and belongs.

Then we heard the great news, Turkish Coffee Culture was admitted to the Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO! On UNESCO’s web Intangible lists defined as: ‘Intangible cultural heritage, also known as ‘living heritage’, refers to the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills transmitted by communities from generation to generation.’ And Turkish Coffee and its Culture met the criteria, hence the first one is stated ‘Passed on from generation to generation within Turkish families, the knowledge and skills related to the tradition of Turkish coffee provide a sense of iden-tity and continuity, reinforcing social cohesion and openness through hospi-tality and entertainment.’

Yes, that is a great social definition of Turkish Coffee, our coffee which we can spend an entire hour with a tiny cup, sharing this moment with our loved ones, talking about our day, sipping it slowly, reading the morning newspaper, talking about this and that, relaxing after a shopping spree, after breakfast, lunch, dinner you name the hour of the day, we love to have one with any kind of excuse. Whatever your problem might be, our answer is always ‘let’s talk this over coffee...’ We always mean Turkish Coffee!

After Ceremonial Keskek Tradition getting listed in Intangible Cultural List in 2011, Turkish Coffee Culture and Tradition is the 11th item about Turkey’s customs and traditions on UNESCO’s list. And it is the first bever-age listed. TCCRA and Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism have been working on this intensively for the past years, the books about coffee have been published with the help of TCCRA, the researchers are going on and we will be hearing a lot of their projects in the near future.

This is just a beginning... We need to train everyone, drinkers, roasters, coffee makers, tea house owners, cezve-coffee pot-makers, all hospitality professionals... One step at a time!

Tuba S atana istanbulfood.com

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Yogurt

Turkey is a nation of yogurt lovers. Most of the countries milk production goes towards making yogurt.

Made from cow, goat, sheep and water buffalo milk, yogurt devotees will know that the higher fat content of the latter three animals makes even more delectably creamy yogurt. Yogurt appears on the table at every mealtime and is served with just about anything, including soups, stews, kebabs, pilavs, stuffed vegeta-bles and salads.

Yogurt is one of the most ancient foods known to man. Evidence exists of fermented milk products being produced almost 4500 years ago, and the Turks are just one of many peoples who like to claim respon-sibility for its creation.

In Turkish markets and dairy shops, you’ll generally find two kinds of yogurt; sivi tas and suzme. Sivi tas is the standard yogurt and can vary in consistency from fairly runny to thick and creamy. It’s used to make most yogurt-based sauces and is diluted with iced water to make ayran. Suzme is very firm strained yogurt that’s made by hanging sivi tas in a muslin bag overnight to drain away the whey. This is also called labne in Arabic.

Greg and Lucy Malouf Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey

AyranIn Turkey and the Middle East, the yogurt drink ayran is popular with meat kabobs but I like it best served chilled for breakfast at the start of a hot day.

For 1 long, tall glass: thick, plain strained yogurt, iced water, ice cubes, salt, and dried mint

Half fill the glass with thick yogurt and top up to two-thirds full with iced water. Stir well—it should have the consistency of thick cream. Add a couple of ice cubes, stir in a little salt, to taste, and a touch of dried mint. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then drink.

Sarah Woodward The Ottoman Kitchen: Modern Recipes from Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, Lebanon, Syria, and Beyond

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Dondurma

The famous turkish “stretch” ice cream. Dondurma is a pounded ice cream and that unique stretchiness comes from mastic (plant resin)

and sahlep (an extract of orchid root).

Maraş is the true home of ice cream. The goats, sheep and cows that graze in the nearby mountains produce the country’s sweetest milk, and the wild orchids that contain sahlep also grow in the mountain pastures. In fact, maraş dondurma is more than just stretchy. The ice cream is firm enough to be eaten with a knife and fork and is almost hard and chewy but still melts in your mouth.

Turkish Tea

Turkish tea is traditionally served in small, tulip-shaped glasses with a rounded bowl at the bot-

tom. The glass is placed on a saucer (often deco-rate with lurid flower patterns), together with two or three sugar lumps for you to add to taste. If your taste is Turkish, then the sweeter the better. The tea is always served without milk and strong and although the first glass may be at breakfast time,

it is served throughout the day and late into the night. In the bazaars the tea-carriers are a familiar sight, swinging metal trays loaded with glasses at a seemingly impossible angle.

For the industrial quantities consumed at the bazaars, the tea is usually made in a samovar. To make it at home, warm a small teapot (preferably metal), add 3 teaspoons strong, black tea, top up with boiling water and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Pour from a height into small glasses (a few tea leaves don’t matter), add sugar and drink as soon as you can bear to pick up the glass.

Sarah Woodward The Ottoman Kitchen: Modern Recipes from Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, Lebanon, Syria, and Beyond

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Rice: An Essential Ingredient of Turkish Cuisine

Sara and Dun met Engin Akin in Istanbul when they were organiz-

ing the Oldways 1993 International Symposium on Turkish Foods and Wines. Since then, she has become a newspaper columnist, radioshow host, cookbook author, cooking school teacher, and a much-in- demand speaker on Turkish food.

Turkish cuisine is a friendly cuisine with its ingredients common to most people and other cuisines. Dishes made with tomatoes, olive oil, butter, pepper, garlic, vegetables like eggplant, legumes, and grains used through-out the Mediterranean basin apprear on everyday tables all around Turkey. These ingredients are either cooked with meat or made into soups; almost all vegetables may be simmered in olive oil. Always using fresh and sea-sonal ingredients, Turkish cuisine is probably one of the healthiest.

Yogurt, another symbolic health food, is one of the oldest ingredients of our cuisine. It can be made into a drink or a sauce, or served as an accompani-ment, but surely it is a favorite since childhood.

Turkish cuisine has long been a fusion cuisine in the sense that many in-gredients from all over the world have been integrated into our gastronomy long before fusion became known to the world. Rice is one ingredient that has been carried to Anatolia all the way from our first homeland. Rice ap-pears snugly in dolma or within the warmth of a chicken soup, or as an incredibly tasty duet with sugar and spices, such as saffron and mastic in numerous desserts. Our love of rice is, however, crowned by the flaky rice pilav that appears nearly every day on family tables and always on festive tables.

As rice comes in many disguises, so does the unleavened bread of the nomadic Turkish tribes. Countless pastries, savory and sweet, including böreks, the flaky baklava, and others with more erotic names—like wom-an’s navel or lip of the beloved—are all made from yufka, the see-through muslin-thin sheet of pastry made with a rolling pin. The wonderfully aro-matic butter the pastries are dressed with only makes sure that they will be an everlasting taste memory.

Engin Akin, The Oldways Table, 2006

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Snacking on Street FoodGozleme (right): yuftka dough (flour, water and oil based like a tortilla) is folded around a filling and crisped on a saj (domed griddle). We will see cheese or spinach and cheese fillings. It’s a sort of stuffed turkish pancake, similar to a quesadilla.

Fried mussels: shucked battered then fried in olive oil. Served on a skewer with an almond and garlic sauce called tarator.

Kumpir: are baked potatoes that are split in half. The insides are scooped out and mixed with yo-gurt and put back into the potato. There is a bar of toppings to chose from after that.

Profiteroles: they serve these filled with pastry cream and piled on top of each other to form a lumpy cake that is scooped out by weight and served with chocolate sauce.

Su borek: a pie made from a fresh cheese, eggs, butter and yuftka pastry. The pastry becomes noodle-like and this rich snack is cut up into little pieces so that you can eat it on the street.

Kokorec: lamb intestines skewered and roasted with oregano and chiles. Served as a sandwich.

Fish sandwich: A simple fried or grilled fish sandwich made with bonito—the most common fish of the Bosphorus—with onions, tomatoes and fresh baguette. Balik-ekmek is mostly sold in old fashioned fishing boats along the Bosphorus. Ana Sortun

The Evil Eye

The Nazar Boncuk charm (or Evil Eye Bead) is an “eye,” often set on a blue background. It

stares back at the world to ward off the evil spirits and keep you safe from harm.

Since then the people have been attaching this evil eye bead to everything they wished to protect from the evil eyes. From the new-born babies to their horses or even to the doors of their homes.

This tradition still lives in Turkey. The glimmering evil eye beads that are hand made with ancient methods by very few glass masters, are

distributed from Anatolia to the whole world.

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Asmali CavitAsmalimescit Cad. No16/D, Beyoglu, Istanbul+90 212 292 4950Try the meat borek, fava and topic, melon, feta, octopus. Small neigh-borhood place and a traditional meyhane experience.

Akdeniz Hatay SofrasiIskender Pasa Mh., Ahmediye Cd No:44, Fatih+90 212 531 3333Try the chicken roasted in salt.

Bebek balikcisiBebek Mh., Cevdet Pas a Cd No:26, Istanbul+90 212 263 3447It is a 40-minute cab ride up the Bosphorous to this cute and very posh little town. Scene is very up scale but place is delicious and traditional. Must try to sit outside on the deck.

Boncuk Hüseyinaga Mh., Nevizade Sk No:19, 34410 Istanbul+90 212 243 1219In the flower passage in Taksim for mezze and lunch. Lively street dining. Eat fried mussels and tripe sandwiches in this market on your way there for mezze.

Ana’s Restaurant List for Istanbul

Restaurant List for IzmirAlancha1036 Sokak No.1 Tokoglu Mahhallesi Alacati Cesme+90 232 716 8307While Alancha is not in Izmir, but in Alaçati, it is a culinary experience. Known as one of the best restau-rants in Turkey, the food is inven-tive and the meal is prix fixe.

Damla1407 Sokak 8+90 232 464 6655A local restaurant, featuring Turkish food

DenizAtatürk Caddesi 188b+90 232 464 4499Seafood restaurant on the Kordon

Korfez RestaurantKordon Mevkii, Ataturk CD 182 A+90 232 421 0190Seafood restaurant on the Kordon

Kosebasi KordonAtaturk Cad. No:174/B | 1.Kordon+90 232 463 5350A kebab restaurant on the Kordon, it is a chain specializing in Turkish food.

SakizSehıt Nevresbey Bulvarı 9a, Izmir+90 232 464 1103Mediterranean cuisine

Tavaci Recep UstaKordon Mevkii, Ataturk Cd 364+90232 463 8797On the Kordon, known for its starters and meat.

Yengeç RestaurantAtatürk Caddesi 314a+90 464 5757Seafood restaurant on the Kordon

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ChangaSiraselviler Cad. No. 47 Taksim, Istanbul, (Beyoglu) +90 212 251 7064Very hip and happening scene in Taksim. New York style. Delicious, innovative Turkish fusion food. There is a new Changa on the roof of the textile museum.

Cukur MeyhaneKartal Sk., Beyoglu+90 212 244 5575A little hole-in-the wall neighbor-hood meyhane. Order hamsi, eggplant & drink raki.

DurumzadeHüseyinaga Mh., 34435 Beyoglu/Istanbul+90 212 249 0147Street-front place for lunch or snack. Best durum. Hit this one for the most amazing sandwich on the go.

Gram107D Mesrutiyet Caddesi, Beyog lu+90 212 243 1048Carefully curated and so damn delicious!!! Opens at 8:30 a.m.

KantinTes vikiye Mh., Akkavak Sk No:30, 34365 Istanbul+90 212 219 3114Alice Waters of Turkey. Home cook-ing with a spin.

Lokanta MayaKemankes Karamustafa Pas a Mh., Kemankes Cd No:35, Beyog lu+90 212 252 6884Contemporary, with a female chef. Have her zucchini fritters.

MiklaCafe Marmara Pera, Mes rutiyet Cd No:1, 34430 Beyog lu+90 212 293 5656

Fine dining, stunning view. All Turkish ingredients from small producers.

MuneferitYeni Carsi Cad. No:19, Galatasaray, 34425 , Istanbul/Beyoglu+90 212 252 5067Famous for Rakı; casual local scene. Try the fried eggplant and tahini. Great, local, happening.

Simsek Pide SalonuTaksim Cd 2/A, Taksim/Istanbul +90 212 249 4642Pita with egg and basturma is wonderful. Taksim Square. Quick bite for lunch.

Ulus 29Kuruçes me Mh., 34345, Bes iktas /Istanbul+90 212 358 29 29Go for the view/scene. Modern, hip, stunning view & fancy; good food.

Van Hahvalti EviKılıçali Pas a Mh., Defterdar Yokus u No:52, Beyog lu+90 212 293 6437Breakfast spot. Very busy and popular. There are two restaurants side by side with a similar name. Make sure you go to this one. It is closest to the water starting to go down the hill.

Yeni LokantaIstiklal Cad./kumbaracı Yokus u Sk No:66, Tünel/Istanbul+90 212 292 2550Chef used to work at Changa. Delicious neighborhood spot off of Iskatal. One of my favorites.

ZencefilS ht. Muhtar Mh., Kurabiye Sk No:8, Beyog luMy friends. Low-key vegetarian cafe. Great for light lunch, coffee or tea. Very simple. Very casual.

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HotelsHotel KalehanAtatürk Cad. No57 35920 Selçuk, TurkeyTel: +90 232 892 61 54 Fax: +90 232 892 21 69 Swissotel Büyük EfesGaziosmanpasa Bulvari No: 1, 35210 Alsancak, IzmirTel: +90 232 414 0000Fax: +90 232 414 1010

Hagia Sophia Hotel Istanbul Old CityAlemdar mah. Yerebatan cad. no:1334110 Sultanahmet, IstanbulTel: +90 444 9 332 Fax: +90 (212) 511 9 332

RestaurantsArtemisEski Okul Binası S irince, 35920 Selçuk,+90 532 361 4789

Kardesler Katmer Salonu Urla Iskelesi, Mares al Fevzi Çakmak Cad. No:12, Urla Merkez/Izmir+90 232 752 1320

Ulrice WineryIçmeler Mah, 1168 Sokak, No 7, Urla +90 533 466 9268

Aquarium RestaurantGaziosmanpasa Bulvari No: 1, 35210 Alsancak, Izmir+90 232 414 0000Fax: +90 232 414 1010

Asma YapragiTokoglu Mah., 1005 Sk. No. 50, Alacati, Cesme, Turkey+90 232 716 0178

ÇiyaCaferag a Mh., Günes li Bahçe Sokak No:43, Istanbul, Turkey+90 216 330 3190

Istanbul Culinary Institute Cibali Mh., Kadir Has Üniversitesi, Fatih, Turkey+90 212 251 22 14

S eref Büryan SalonuItfaiye Caddesi 4, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey+90 212 635 8085

Surplus RestaurantRüstem Pas a Mah., Ragıp Gümüs Pala Cad. Zindan Han No:54, Eminönü/cag alog lu/Istanbul, Turkey+90 212 520 1002

Hotels and Restaurants – Turkey Culinaria

Useful Survival Phrases in Turkish Merhaba Hello MER-ha-ba Lütfen Please LEWT-fen Tes ekkür ederim Thank you very much te-she-KEWR-e-DE-reem Evet Yes e-VET Hayir No HA-yuhr Afiyet olsun! Bon appetit A-fee-yet OL-sun Ne kadar? How much is this? ne-ka-DAR

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Artichokes (Izmir and Istanbul style!)Ferda Erdinç, who owns Istanbul’s Zencefil restaurant in Crete, taught Ana how to make this traditional Turkish specialty. Serve it with fish or as one of many mezze before a meal.

Recipes for Selçuk Cooking Demonstration

6 whole artichokesSalt and pepper to taste2 tablespoons flour¼ cup honey¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup dry white wine12 cloves garlic, peeled and

cut in half4 scallions, root ends trimmed

and finely chopped¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Trim the stem end halfway off each artichoke with a serrated knife, and then cut the top third of each artichoke off. Pull off the dark green outer leaves with your fingers, stopping when you can see the tender yellow leaves. With a paring knife, clean and shape the base of the artichoke by trimming it down and removing most of the dark green color. You’ll want to keep the shape of the artichoke but pare it down uniformly. Split each artichoke in half lengthwise and remove the fuzzy insides by scraping them out with a small teaspoon.

Season both sides of each artichoke with salt and pepper and then place the artichokes cut-side down in a heavy roasting pan or Pyrex dish.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the flour with the honey, lemon juice, and olive oil and pour this mixture over the artichokes. Add the wine and garlic to the pan and cover it tightly twice with foil.

Bake the artichokes for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are cooked through. Some of the liquid will evaporate and slightly glaze each artichoke. Sprinkle the artichokes with scallions and dill and serve them warm or at room temperature with any extra braising liquid for dipping, along with extra salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Monday, March 16, 2015

• OliveTasting,WildGreenTasting,CrickCracks• Artichokes(IzmirandIstanbulstyle!)• Black-EyedPeas,BarelyCookedWildGreens,withWarm

Garlicky Yogurt and Crispy Bread• CigarBorek—MarketVegetables,Yogurt,Sumac,Chiles• MarketFishwithMusselStuffing• ApricotHalawa

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Black-Eyed Peas, Barely Cooked Wild Greens, with Warm Garlicky Yogurt and Crispy Bread

2 cups black eyed peas1 large carrot, cut into quarter-inch

dice1 onion, finely minced2 teaspoons, finely minced garlicPinch of cinnamon1 teaspoon tomato paste½ teaspoon of maras pepper½ cup of whole milk yogurt

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

8 cups of mixed braising greens, long stems removed and washed (a little more than a pound)

1 pita bread, split in half and diced into ¼-½ inch dice

2 teaspoons of red pepper paste2 tablespoons melted butter4-6 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil (at least 8 cups of water) and cook the black eyed peas for about 20 minutes on a low-medium simmer. The peas should be completely tender. Drain them and place in a mixing bowl and season with salt and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Meanwhile, bring another pot of about 8 cups of water to a boil and add the braising greens or market greens. When the greens wilt, immediately drain them into a colander and run some cold water over them to cool them down. Allow them to sit, cool and drain. Squeeze them as dry as you can in small amounts to get all the water out of them. Place them in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, saute the onion, carrot, and teaspoon of garlic (or green garlic) until very soft, tender and the onion is translucent. Stir in the tomato paste, maras pepper and hint of cinnamon. Stir into the black eyed peas to coat.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the pepper paste with 2 tablespoons olive oil until you have a loose paste. Stir in the pita bread and coat them evenly with oil, melted butter and season them with salt. Add a little more oil if necessary. Place them on a baking sheet and toast them for about 8-12 minutes until crisp and cool.

Place lemon juice in a small mixing bowl with the remaining teaspoon of garlic and let stand for 3 minutes until the garlic pickles and softens in flavor. Stir in the yogurt and the last tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt to taste.

To assemble, warm the black eyed peas and season the greens with salt, pepper, maras and olive oil

Place pita on the bottom, warm black eyed peas on top of the pita, greens (you can roughly chop them if they are large) over the black eyed peas and top the whole lot with the garlicky yogurt.

Serves 4

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Cigar Borek—Market Vegetables, Yogurt, Sumac, Chiles

2 cups of grated vegetables (if you use zucchini, you need to squeeze it dry so there is no wa-ter content)

1 teaspoon of baharat spice mix1 cup sautéed leeks, green garlic

or onion1 cup of grated halloumi cheese

or feta cheese2 teaspoons saltblack pepperExtra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

1 heaping teaspoon finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon lemon juice2 cups thick plain yogurt2 cups chopped canned tomato,

drained8 tablespoons brown butter16 yuftka triangles1 tablespoon sumac1 tablespoon maras pepper1 tablespoon dried spearmint

Make the filling by combining the grated vegetable, leek, cheese, salt, pepper and baharat. Test a little of the filling for seasoning by frying a small patty in oil.

Combine the garlic and lemon juice in a small mixing bowl with a pinch of salt.

Let stand for 5 minutes and stir in the yogurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Meanwhile, simmer tomatoes in the brown butter until they get soft and jam-like, about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste and set aside

Place 3 tablespoons of filling onto the large end of the triangle and roll it up tightly like a cigar. Place each cigar on a baking sheet. Repeat until you have no more filling and about 16 cigars. Brush each cigar with some of the garlicky yogurt. Drizzle the cigars with extra virgin olive oil and bake them for about 30-35 minutes, until they are lightly browned and cooked through. Allow them to cool.

Trim off the ends of each cigar and split them down the center the long way to make cigarettes.

To serve, brush the cigarettes with a little more garlicky yogurt and bake.

Serve 4 of them with 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon of yogurt sprinkled with sumac, dried mint and maras pepper. If you have any leftover brown butter, drizzle the top of each with serving with more brown butter.

Makes 16 large cigars to serve 8

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Market Fish with Mussel StuffingUse a small fillet from a snapper, flounder, turbot, trout or striped bass.

1½ pounds of mussels, washed and beards removed

1 onion2 tablespoons olive oil¼ cup currants, soaked in hot water1 cup Turkish rice or Spanish rice,

rinsed under ccold water to loosen the startch

½ cup lightly toasted pinenuts

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon3 vine ripened tomato, grated1⁄3 cup chopped dill1⁄3 cup chopped parsley2 pounds (approximate) of fish

fillet, boned and skinned or 6 4-ounce fillets

Lemon wedges to serve

Steam the mussels in a pan with a little water or wine and a wedge of lemon, covered until they open. Allow the mussels to cool and remove them from the shells into a small mixing bowl.

Drain the juice through a sieve over the mussels and set aside. Discard the shells.

Saute the onion in olive oil in a large saucepot, until soft and translucent. Stir in the rice to coat it evenly with the onion. Add the currants, pinenuts, garlic, spices, one third of the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of hot water and cook on medium-low heat for about 12 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid. Season with salt to taste and pour onto a baking sheet to cool quickly.

When the rice has cooled, fold in the herbs and the mussels.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season the fish fillets lightly with salt on both sides.

Butter a baking dish. Place about ¼ cup of rice stuffing on the thick end of the fillet and roll it around the rice. Place in the buttered baking dish and repeat until you have 6 rolls. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes, uncovered.

Meanwhile, whisk some olive oil into the grated tomato and season with salt.

When the fish is cooked, spoon a little tomato onto each and serve with an artichoke and lemon and any leftover chopped herbs.

Serves 6

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33

Apricot HalawaThis recipe from Sofra Bakery’s Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick is a very simple and versatile candy to make. The word Halawa is synonymous with sweet. We are adding rosewater and ground mastic, which will make these seem like Turkish delights when tossed in powdered sugar. You can substitute Orange Blossom Water, or omit any other flavorings and grind just apricots.

2 pounds dried Turkish apricots, roughly chopped2 teaspoons rosewater½ teaspoon ground masticPowdered sugar for tossing

Use an 8 inch square baking dish. Lightly spray first, then line with plastic wrap, smoothing out creases.

The apricots will grind smoother if they are chopped first. Do the apricots in 2 or 3 batches. Place in food processor and grind until a ball forms, transfer to bowl.

Process remaining apricots. Add rosewater and mastic to apricots in bowl. Work in with your hand to distribute evenly. Press into prepared pan in an even layer. Cover with plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Remove from pan. Cut into desired shapes, small squares or rectangles. Toss in powdered sugar.

Options: place a whole, toasted pistachio on each sugared halawa, press-ing it into apricot or toss halawa in sesame seeds. Dip each piece one half way in tempered chocolate and sprinkle sesame seeds on chocolate while still wet.

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34

Green Almond & Green Garlic Soup

1 cup of thinly sliced green garlic2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil½ pound of sliced green almonds, about 2 cups4 cups good quality chicken broth1½ cups of Greek yogurt, whole milk1 egg yolk1 teaspoon of flour1 tablespoon dried spearmint1 tablespoon sumac2 teaspoons of maras pepper3 tablespoons melted butter

In a large saucepan, cook the green garlic with olive oil until the garlic is soft and tender on medium-low heat, about 8 minutes. Add green al-monds and cook until about 7 more minutes, then season to taste. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, continue to cook until the almonds are tender on low heat. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, egg, flour and whisk until smooth.Ladle a cup of the hot soup into the yogurt mixture, whisking until com-bined. Add yogurt mixture to the soup pot, whisking for about 5 minutes until the soup starts to simmer.

Ladle into bowls and serve with a drizzle of melted butter, about a teaspoon of crushed dried spearmint and sumac per bowl and about half teaspoon of maras pepper to each.

Makes about 6 cups

Friday, March 20, 2015

• GreenAlmond&GreenGarlicSoup• FavawithDillandEgg• TurkishShepherd’sSalad• Sultan’sDelight• Hande’sRevani

Recipes for Istanbul Cooking Demonstration

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Fava with Dill and EggThese dried favas have a lot of natural starch. The flavor and texture is a cross between mashed potato and fava and deliciously rich and creamy.

1½ cups of dried shelled fava beans (you can soak them into water overnight to reduce cooking time)

3½ cups of boiling water1 medium size onion, finely

choppedA dash of sugar½ cup + 1 tablespoon of extra-

virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon (about 6 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon of salt (adjust according to your liking)

½ cup of fresh dill leaves2 tablespoons capers6 tablespoons finely minced red

onionHard cooked egg, good salt and

olive oil for garnish

Bring the water to boil, add fava beans, onion and sugar. Cover and simmer on low heat. It takes around 40 to 45 minutes to cook, check every 10 to 15 minutes. You may reduce the time by soaking your beans in water the night before you plan to make the dish.

When the beans and onions are soft enough to be blended into a purée, add ½ cup of olive oil, 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and salt and use a hand blender or food processor to whip them until smooth.

Take a 2-inch deep rectangular or square serving plate or tray (when you fill it with the mixture it should rise to 1½–2 inches thick), rinse it under water, do not dry, just shake to get rid of excess water. Place the spread into the baking sheet or pan, smooth out the surface. Let sit on the kitchen counter until cool and then cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serv-ing. Slice into squares or diagonal slices (or any other shape you like).

Meanwhile, lightly pickle the red onion in the remaining tablespoon of lemon by tossing the onion with the lemon and a little bit of salt and letting it stand for at least 10 minutes.

Serve each slice of fava with a slice of hard cooked egg, a few capers, a couple teaspoons of onion, chopped dill and more olive oil.

Serves 6

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36

Turkish Shepherd’s SaladWhat distinguishes this summer salad are all the fresh herbs and the su-mac and red pepper used to season it.

2 cups diced tomato3 cups of diced cucumber, preferably the Persian or small ones1 green pepper, preferably a long green Italian frying pepper, seeded

and diced (about 1 cup)½ small red onion, finely chopped¼ cup (loosely packed) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon chopped dill 2 tablespoons chopped mint 1 teaspoon sumac ½ to 1 teaspoon Turkish or Aleppo pepper Salt to taste 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 to 2 ounces feta, crumbled (¼ to ½ cup) (optional) Black olives (optional) Romaine lettuce leaves and/or pita bread for serving (optional)

Let onions sit in lemon juice with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes.

Combine all of the ingredients except the olives and romaine in a large bowl and toss together.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with olives and serve, with pita bread and romaine lettuce if desired. Serves 6

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Sultan’s DelightThe dish, like many Ottoman dishes, has two stories associated with it, neither one of which has been verified.

The first story says that the court chefs created the recipe for Sultan Murad IV in the early 17th Century. The Sultan enjoyed the meal so much that it was named Hunkar Begendi, literally translated as the Sultan liked it. The second story says the dish was named in honor of Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. The pair visited the Ottoman Court in 1869, and sampled a dish, which the Empress was immediately enamored of. She had her personal chef go to the kitchen with measuring scales and note-book in hand, only to have the poor fellow thrown out by chefs who said a true recipe cannot be quantified. The Ottoman court was nonetheless so impressed by the Empress’ liking of the dish, that it was named Hunkar (a gender-neutral word in Turkish for Sultan) Begendi.

6 beef shortribs, or one boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 6 pieces

1 cup white wine4 tablespoons brown sugar6 tablespoons pomegranate

molasses2 cups water3 medium black bell eggplant2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour1 cup milk1 cup grated kasseri cheesePinch of smoked salt3 tablespoons lightly toasted

pinenutsFresh dill2 teaspoons Urfa pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Season the shortribs on all sides with salt. Place in a deep roasting pan and add the wine, water, brown sugar, and pomegranate molasses. Cover twice with foil. Braise for 2-3 hours until very tender when pierced with a fork or tongs. Strain the juices from the meat and allow to cool. Skim off the excess fat.

Remove any bone from the shortribs and place the chunks of meat in the meat juices in a large sauté pan and simmer until the meat is glazy. You can add a pat of butter to this if you want to make it a little richer.

Meanwhile, prepare the eggplant. Peel the eggplant and cut it into large cubes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the eggplant. Simmer for 20 minutes until the eggplant is very soft. Drain well. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and whisk until bubbly. Add the flour and stir well. Add the milk and continue whisking until the milk has thickened by the flour and butter. Stir in the kasseri cheese, smoked salt and the eggplant and beat until smooth but chunky. Season with salt to taste.

Spoon the eggplant onto plates and top with spoonful of glazed beef.Sprinkle with pinenuts, fresh dill and Urfa pepper.

Serves 6

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38

Hande’s RevaniFor the Revani:6 eggs½ cup granulated sugar1 cup fine semolina1 cup flour1 tablespoon butter (to butter the tray)1 tablespoon flour (to sprinkle on the butter in the tray) For the syrup:4 cups granulated sugar2½ cups water (or use some fruit juice, like tangerine or

rhubarb)Zest of 1 lemon1 tablespoon lemon juice (it does not exist in the original

recipe but I added the zest of the lemon) Optional teaspoon of rose water or orange blossom water

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Butter the tray (about 12 inches in size) and sprinkle the flour.

Whisk the eggs with the sugar until it thickens.

Combine the sifted flour and semolina, and add to the sugar/egg mix, mix-ing gently with the spatula.

Pour into the tray and cook in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown (we used the Electrolux oven in class, which is very powerful and cooked for 12 minutes).

Put the water, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a pot and bring to boil. Boil for 2 minutes and remove from the heat. Pour it on the Revani as it comes from the heat, while the syrup is hot and place back the Revani in the oven for an additional 2 minutes.

Take it out and let it cool.

This is the very basic recipe. I like it because it is very versatile. You can put any nuts (finely chopped walnuts or pistachios), forest berries etc. on top, or dried and soaked apricots. You can also use partial fruit juice instead of the water and top it with the fruit itself.

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Participants

39

James Alderman (Sudbury, MA)Robert Barnes (West Newton, MA)Judith Berg (Visalia, CA)Laura Brewer (Cambridge, MA)Eugene Briskman (Brookline, MA)Susan Briskman (Brookline, MA)M Laurie Cammisa (Bethesda, MD)Janette Cavallo (Sudbury, MA)Barbara Corkey (Boston, MA)Richard Corkey (Boston, MA)Jessica Cox (Birmingham, AL)Rick DeBeaord Jr. (San Francisco,

CA) Gail DeBoer (El Cerrito, CA)Mary DeGarmo (Boston, MA)Bernadette Festa (San Francisco,

CA)Lois Fine (Cambridge, MA)Richard Fine (Cambridge, MA)Margot Flouton (West Newton, MA)Mary Dee Hacker (Glendale, CA)Sally Howe (Orange, MA)Gale Hunt (Cambridge, MA)Terry Hunt (Cambridge, MA)David Koval (Naples, FL)Kathy Kramer-Howe (Paradise

Valley, AZ)Sandra McQuay (Boston, MA)

Carol Mita (Boston, MA)Jeffrey Morrow (Somerville, MA)Sandra Morrow (Somerville, MA)Patricia Naeser (Waterford, WI) Rodney Ono (Hilo, HI)Ardis Ono (Hilo, HI)Tracy Ono Walkemeyer (Valley

Village, CA)Barbara Porter (Watertown, MA)Carrie Quimby (Keene, NH)Jocelyn Ramella (Gloucester, MA)Elizabeth Reilinger (Boston, MA)Janet Robertson (Collingswood,

NJ)William Ruhl (Watertown, MA)Jennifer Ruhl (Watertown, MA)Judith Rushmore (Belmont, MA)Carolyn Scarbrough (Heathsville,

VA)David Scarbrough (Heathsville, VA)Charles Schoendorf (Rowayton,

CT)Kathleen Skowlund (Wales, WI)Eileen Sporing (Gloucester, MA)Carol Stearns (Gloucester, MA)Nancy Wheatley (Boston, MA)Lucille Wilhelm (Cambridge, MA)Elizabeth Zeldin (Watertown, MA)

Hosts, Culinary Experts & GuidesOldways Sara Baer-Sinnott, President, Oldways (Boston, MA) Jesse Cool, Owner, Cooleatz, Oldways Board Member (Palo Alto, CA)Casey Sinnott (New York City, NY)Abby Sloane, Program and Financial Manager, Oldways (Boston, MA)

Oleana / Sofra / SarmaAna Sortun, Chef/Partner, Oleana, Sofra, Sarma (Cambridge, MA)Sara Fetbroth, General Manager, Oleana (Cambridge, MA)Paige Zaitsoff Lombardi, Sous Chef, Oleana (Cambridge, MA)Leah Sandmaier, Sous Chef, Sarma (Somerville, MA)

In TurkeyOguz Göncü, Tour Guide (Istanbul, Turkey)Besim Isikog lu, Tour Guide (Istanbul, Turkey)Tuba S atana,TurkishFoodExpert&Writer(Istanbul,Turkey)Ayfer Unsal, Journalist, Turkish Culinary Expert (Istanbul, Turkey)Aran Uzer, Tour Guide (Urla, Turkey)

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AcknowledgementsAs Oldways’ founder Dun Gifford always said, our work has many mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters. Oldways is very grateful to Ana Sortun for sharing her passion for Turkish food, her skills and knowledge, and for letting all of us travel with her as continues to discover the roots of her passion for all foods Turkish. Many thanks also to the Oleana-Sarma team: Sara Fetbroth, Paige Zaitsoff and Leah Sandmaier. Oldways is also very thankful to Tuba S atana for sharing her love and knowledge of Turkish food, restaurants, wineries, markets, shops and culinary attractions, and also to Og uz Göncü, our long-time friend and official tourguide. He has always shared his broad and deep knowledge of history, architecture, archaeology, and cultural sites. In addition to Og uz, we are pleased to have Aran Uzer and Besim Isikog lu as guides for our group, and thank them for their help. Our long-time friend Ayfer Unsal has also put her hand and heart into our program. We love having her join us in Istanbul, and we look forward to learning more from her. Thank you so very much to our friends—old and new from Selçuk to Izmir to Istanbul.

In Selçuk: Hakan Ozdemirci and family, plus Seda Dag Komsu and Mehmet Kumur at the Kalehan Hotel; Cüneyt Özkan from Selçuk Ephesus Team; Serap Yildirim and Okyay Meler at Artemis Restaurant, and Elcin Akinan at Suvla Winery. Thank you also to Zekeriya Sen at Fes Travel for his advice and help.

In and around Izmir: Bilge and Reha Ög ünlü, Ulrice Winery; Ayse Nur Mihci of Asma Yaprag ı, Gamze Basol, Swissotel, Izmir, and our friends at Kardesler Katmer Salonu.

In Istanbul: Musa Dagdeviren, Ciya; officials at the Florence Nightingale Museum; Hande Bozdogan and Gözde Sarıer, Istanbul Culinary Institute; our friends at S eref Büryan Salonu; Vedat Bas aran and Abdullah Erden, Surplus Restaurant; and Aysegül Sincer at Hagia Sophia Old City Istanbul Hotel.

Finally, thank you so much to everyone at Oldways for making this Culinaria pos-sible, especially Joan Kelley, who has made everything look beautiful, and most of all, to Abby Sloane, who makes everything run smoothly and efficiently—and always with a smile, tons of fun and enthusiasm.

Sara Baer-SinnottPresident, OldwaysMarch 2015

CREDITS: As a nonprofit educational organization, Oldways expresses sincere appreciation to the sources of selections that appear in this Program Book. These works make valuable con-tributions to this educational program, and to our understanding of Turkey, and the foods and wines that make it so special.

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A Day on the Bosphorus

Istanbul is a city dominated by the sea, whose lifeblood has always been the saltwater that flows

through and around it. Not only is the city itself split in two by the deep and dark waters of the Bosphorus, but the European side is also rift by a smaller inlet, the Golden Horn. And then there are those two seas: the vast and mysterious Black Sea to the north, and the smaller Sea of Marmara abut-ting the Aegean, to the south. Few other cities are so advantageously positioned between land and water, or have been fought over so continuously or determinedly through the centuries as a result.

Greg and Lucy MaloufTurquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey

z•å

The Ideal of a single civilization, implicit in the cult of progress and technique, impoverishes

and mutilates us. Every view of the world that becomes extinct, every culture that disappears, diminishes a possibility of life.

Octavio Paz

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