The Essence of.....Turkey An exploration of the world through food and drink

www.gototurkey.co.uk Essence -ial Information UK Tourist Office 4th Floor 29-30 St James Street London SW1 Currency Turkish Lira Capital Ankara Language Turkish Main Airlines Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Easyjet Flying Time from UK 4 hrs Visa Yes at point of entry

PROFILE Turkish cuisine inherited its Ottoman heritage which could be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine also influenced these cuisines and other neighbouring cuisines, as well as western European cuisines. Ottomans fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Middle Eastern cuisines, along with traditional Turkic elements from Central Asia such as yogurt. Visitors who are not familiar with Turkish cuisine have a delightful surprise in store for them: stemming partly from the spectacular variety of ingredients and partly from the influence of the numerous civilizations which have inhabited Anatolia throughout history, Turkish cuisine is simply delicious. Regional Specialities As you visit different areas of Turkey, there are local specialities which must be eaten in their home region to be fully appreciated. Thus Kanlica in Istanbul is famous for its yoghurt, Bursa for its Iskendar Kebab, Gaziantep for its pistachio nuts, the Black Sea for hamsi (fried anchovies) and corn bread and the Syrian borderlands (Urfa and Adana) for spicy shish kebabs. Starters A meal out will usually start with a selection of mezes -- appetizers -- from an enormous and very colourful platter. Cold mezes include stuffed mussels (midye dolma), humus, pureed aubergine salad (patlican salatasi), stuffed vine leaves (yaprak dolma) and Circassian chicken (cevizli tavuk). Among the selection of hot mezes are usually borek, (thin layers of flaky pastry stuffed with cheese, meat or spinach), sautéed lamb's liver with onions and kalamari. Salad lovers will find a variety of unusual, spicy herbs appearing along with the standard tomato and cucumber, especially in the south. Roka is a bitter herb which translates as rocket in English, and you may also find spiky dereotu (bitter cress), nane (fresh mint) or even kuzu kulla (sorrel). A spinachy-textured vegetable frequently served in garlic-yogurt is called semizotu, known to us as purslane. Main courses Main courses are generally fish or meat kebabs, though this word is used in a much wider sense than generally understood in the West. The spices and herbs used to delicately flavour the meat varies from region to region. Guvec dishes are delicious casseroles cooked in earthenware pots. Et sote, a kind of goulash, is very good, as is coban kavurma. The eating of fish has an elevated if not cult status in Turkey. It is best eaten in an open-air restaurant by the sea, preferably Anadolu Kavagi, Rumeli Kavagi or Kumkapi, always accompanied by raki, and enjoyed in the company of good friends. The choice depends on the catch of the day, and may include swordfish (kilic), bluefish (lufer), turbot (kalkan) or lobster (istakoz). The staple of lunch time cafeterias is ev yemek, which translates literally as home food, signifying tasty vegetable and meat-based stews. An interesting aspect of Turkish drinking culture is the all-night iskembe parlor, which serves tripe soup. It is considered medicinal after a night on the town, with crushed garlic from a bowl, red pepper, oregano and vinegar added to taste. Desserts In restaurants, dessert is often a beautifully presented selection of seasonal fruits. In spring this may be green almonds and plums, generally an acquired taste for foreigners. There are strawberries in May, cherries in June, melons in July and August and apples, pears and pomegranates in autumn. Winter is the time for Turkish-grown citrus fruits and bananas. For a wider selection of sweets try the pastane, or pudding shop, where you'll find all the traditional Turkish sweets such as lokum, or Turkish delight, baklava, kadayif, halva and asure (traditionally held to contain the forty different ingredients left in the Ark's kitchen when Noah sighted Ararat). Sutlac, or rice pudding, is also popular, as are profiteroles, best tried at Inci Pastanesi on Istanbul's Istiklal Caddesi. Breakfast Turkish breakfasts are dominated by freshly baked bread, eaten with salty white cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, butter, honey, jam, and often a boiled egg. Deliciously creamy yoghurt is an optional extra. Other breakfast alternatives include pastry shops which serve a variety of flaky pastries with cheese or meat fillings. Drinks Turkey produces some excellent dry wines, both red and white, which go well with a variety of foods. Names to look out for include Villa Doluca, Kavakladere Cankaya, Yakut and Dikmen. Efes and Tuborg beers are almost always the only beers available, and both are good. A must is the local aniseed-based drink, raki, drunk with water added and called "lion's milk" by Turks. But heed this tried and tested warning well: "you must drink the raki and not let it drink you!" A meal is often followed by an espresso sized cup of Turkish coffee, though Italian coffees are becoming increasingly popular. For day-time and non-alcoholic alternatives, try ayran, a yogurt, salt and water mix. Freshly-squeezed juices are also widely available and cheap, but best in winter when the citrus season is in full force in the South. There is also carrot juice, banana milk and sour apple juice. Strong black tea in tulip shaped glasses will be served any time you are asked to sit and wait, or go visiting, but there is also a strong tradition of herbal teas, some of which (like sage) are unusual to the western palate but very good. Boza and sahlep are popular drinks in winter. The former is made from mildly fermented millet and tastes rather like eggnog. Sahlep, on the other hand, is served hot on ferry boats and other public places and is made from the pulverized tubers of the wild orchid. It is very sweet and comes sprinkled with cinnamon, and is the perfect companion on a cold winter's day. Mutton Shanks Kebab Serves 4 Ingredients: 800g Mutton Shanks on the bone 1 tbsp Margarine 1 Carrot 1 Onion 1 Garlic clove 1 tbsp Tomato paste 1 stick celery 250g peas 4 tbsp Olive oil 5 tbsp flour pinch dried thyme Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste Method: Scrape the carrot, slice thinly or grate. Grate the celery, and the onion. Pound garlic in a mortar. Put the margarine and olive oil in a pot and place on heat. Put flour in a bowl and coat the shanks with it. When the oil is heated, put shanks in the pot and fry well until golden brown. Season the fried shanks with salt and black pepper and put the vegetables over the shanks in the pot. Saute the vegetables slightly, constantly stirring. Mix tomato paste with 1/4 glass of warm water or meat broth, and pour it over vegetables. Cover and cook, occasionally stirring. Rinse and strain the peas and add them to the kebab 20 minutes later. Allow to cook for 45 minutes, before seasoning kebab with thyme. Check for water while the kebab is cooking and add water if necessary. Couscous with Mutton Serves 4 Ingredients: 500g Couscous 10 glasses water 2 tbsp margarine Meat 500g Mutton 2½ tbsp Margarine 3 large onions 2 large tomatoes OR ½ tbsp unsalted tomato paste 2½ glasses stock Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste Dressing 2 tbsp Margarine Method: Put the chopped meat into a saucepan with the margarine and saute, occasionally stirring until the meat changes color. Add the chopped onions and continue cooking in the same way until the onions turn golden. Chop tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, tablespoon salt and black pepper to the saucepan. 5 minutes later add 1½ glasses of warm water, cover and cook for about 2 hours over moderate to low heat until the meat is thoroghly cooked. The Couscous: About 90 minutes after you start cooking the meat, put 10 glasses of water and 2 tablespoons of salt into a saucepan and bring to boil. Add the couscous and boil for 6 minutes. Strain and rinse the couscous. While the couscous is being strained, add 1 glass of warm water or broth to the meat and bring to boil. Add the couscous to the meat and cook first over moderate then over low heat for 15-20 minutes. The Dressing: Heat the margarine and pour it over the meat and couscous. Simmer for 15 minutes on very low heat, stir and serve.