Do you remember last year when we went to the Üzümlü Mushroom Festival and we came across a street seller impressing the crowds by winding sticky, multi-coloured sweetness around a stick? He was doing a roaring trade and our friend told us it was Osmanlı Macunu; a traditional food from the Ottoman times. We didn’t …

We’ve been looking forward to doing this post for some time for a couple of reasons. The first reason is because of the visual effect – I’m a sucker for mixed, vivid colours. The second is because all these mixed, vivid colours spill from our friend’s shop in Kapalı Çarşısı (known as the Grand Bazaar …

Today’s recipe is not a Turkish recipe by any stretch of the imagination, so how has a recipe for homemade lasagne made it into our blog? Well, you may remember last Wednesday’s blog post was all about our love for visiting Istanbul and, at the end of it, we said we would be in Istanbul …

Yesterday being one of the few sunny days we’ve had so far in 2012, we set off for a stroll along Fethiye harbour to make the most of the pleasant, late winter temperatures – and to take some photos. The lighting at this time of year is perfect for photographing the yachts and gülets anchored …

Today was the 2nd Karaçulha Camel Wrestling Festival, just up the road from where we live. With just a nominal entrance fee and proceeds going towards the local school, we would have been negligent not to go again. Last year, we entered the ‘arena’ (read ‘spare land’) with trepidation and a little excitement at being …

In Istanbul, tucked away in the back streets of Beyoğlu is the old area known as Çukurcuma. There’s always an area of any city that becomes the place to see, to be seen and to know about. While we were living in the UK in Manchester, this area was the Northern Quarter. And, during the …

The first time we came across biber dolması (Turkish stuffed peppers), we were staying with a Turkish friend and his family for a few days. Early in the day, mum was already preparing the evening meal and I remember glancing at the hob and seeing a pan with a glass lid, steam hissing through the …

One place our friend was keen to show us was Palamutbükü. ‘You’ll love it,’ he said. ‘It’s perfect.’ A little over 8 years ago, we were taken on a road trip to the Datça Peninsula for a short break with friends. It was November and Datça was deserted and beautiful. Just about everywhere we visited …

Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi is one of the most historic eateries near to some of the most historic tourist attractions of Istanbul. Most tourists visiting Istanbul for the first time are likely to be staying in Sultanahmet – the area boasting Sultanahmet Camii (the Blue Mosque), Aya Sofya, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern (aka Yerebatan …

It’s little wonder that every time we walked past Palatium restaurant in Sultanahmet, it was a packed. Howling wind, driving rain – and a huge floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall window radiating a warm, inviting glow to the outside world. We were two of its very regular customers whilst we were in Istanbul in October, as it was …