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FOOD PLACES
A survey of the types of dishes according to their ingredients may
be helpful to explain the basic structure of Turkish cuisine.
Otherwise there may appear to be an overwhelming variety of dishes,
each with a unique combination of ingredients and its own way of
preparation and presentation. All dishes can be conveniently
categorized into grain-based, grilled meats, vegetables, seafood,
desserts and beverages.
Before describing each of these categories, some general comments
are necessary. The foundation of the cuisine is based on grains
(rice and wheat) and vegetables. Each category of dishes contains
only one or two types of main ingredients. Turks are purists in
their culinary taste, that is, the dishes are supposed to bring out
the flovar of the main ingredients rather than hiding in under
sauces or spices. Thus, the eggplant should taste like eggplant,
lamb like lamb, pumpkin like pumpkin, and so on. Contrary to the
prevalent Western impression of Turkish food, spices and herbs are
used very simply and sparingly. For example , either mint or dill
weed are used with zucchini, parsley is used with eggplant, a few
cloves of garlic has its place in some cold vegetable dishes, and
cumin is sprinkled over redlentil soup or mixed in ground meat when
making “köfte” (meat balls). Lemon and yogurt are used to complement
both meat and vegetable dishes as well as to balance the taste of
olive oil or meat. Most desserts and fruit dishes do not call for
any spices. So their flavors are refined and subtle.
There are major classes of meatless dishes. When meat is used, it is
used sparingly. Even with the meat kebabs, the “pide” or the flat
bread is the largest part of the dish alongside vegetables or
yogurt. Turkish cuisine also boasts a variety of authentic
contributions to desserts and beverages.
For the Turks, the setting is a important as the food itself.
Therefore, food-related places need to be considered, as well as the
dining protocol. Among the great food places where you can find
ingredients for the cuisine are the weekly neighborhood markets
“Pazar” and the permanent markets. The most famous one of the latter
type is the Spice Market in Istanbul. This is a place where every
conceivable type of food item can be found, as it has been since
pre-Ottoman times. This is a truly exotic place, with hundreds of
scents rising from stalls located within an ancient domed building,
which was the terminus for the Spice Road. More modest markets can
be found in every city center, with permanent stalls for fish and
vegetables.
The weekly markets are where sleepy neighborhoods come to life, with
the villagers setting up their stalls before dawn in a designated
area to sell their products. On these days, handcrafts, textiles,
glassware and other household items are also among the displays at
the most affordable prices. What makes these places unique is the
cacophony of sounds, sights, smells and activity, as well as the
high quality of fresh food, which can only be obtained at the Pazar.
There is plenty of haggling an jostling as people make their way
through the narrow isles while vendors competefor their attention.
One way to purify flat by the seaside for a month every year and
live on fresh fruit and vegetables from the Pazar. However, since
the more likely scenario is restaurant-hopping, here are some tips
to learn the proper terminology so that you can navigate through the
cuisine (just in case you get the urge to cook a la Turca ) as well
as the streets of Turkish cities, where it is just as important to
locate the eating places as it is the museums and the archeological
wonders. |
