Iskender Efendi; this is the chap who invented the Iskender Kebab in the northwest city of Bursa back in the 19th century. When we moved to Turkey in 2003, Bursa was the first place we visited as part of our travels. Friends had told us to make sure we ate Iskender Kebab at the restaurant …
We’re talking sauteed Brussels sprouts in this article. As you’re no doubt aware (if you read this blog a lot) we’re all for promoting our local Fethiye markets, particularly the Fethiye Friday market. The Friday market, in contrast to the Tuesday Market, is more of a villagers’ market that sells seasonal produce – and you’re …
If you are anything like us and thought you didn’t like cabbage (or you are not over keen on it), this Kapuska recipe (Turkish cabbage stew recipe) could be the one that changes all that. We love it. So let’s get started. Let’s let cabbage reign! It’s usually springtime that comes to mind when we …
We talk about seasonal foods in Turkey rather a lot on this blog. And, while some seasonal items tend to appear on Fethiye market on a more year-round basis – they’re just in their prime at certain times of the year – there are some foods that are truly seasonal. Here one minute, gone the …
Mantı – it’s easy to wonder what all the fuss is about. The first time we saw it (and had no idea what it was called) was when we originally moved to Fethiye. Our neighbour knocked on our door, presenting us with a bowl of little dough parcels encasing a tiny piece of minced beef …
Ahh, our love of köfte once more makes itself known on this blog. I wonder how many times we’ve written about it now…recipes for Tekirdağ Köftesi and just good old barbecued köfte; stories of köfte appreciation in Eskişehir. And, easily the most distinctive version we’ve tried to date, Doğubeyazıt Köftesi – that really was a …
Hünkar Beğendi is an absolute classic of Ottoman cuisine. There are those moments in life where you peruse the menu in a restaurant, plump for a dish, stick your fork into the food. And then you get that life-changing taste sensation. And that’s not so much of an exaggeration; life-changing in the sense that you …
It was 2005 and we were in transit from Alexandroupoli in Greece, heading back to Istanbul by bus. Traffic was bad and it had been a long journey. So, after crossing the border into Turkey, the bus driver pulled to the side of the road and gave us an hour’s break to stretch our legs. …
We’ve been writing this blog for two years now so it’s surprising that it’s taken us so long to get round to writing about this meaty staple of Turkish cuisine; kanat. Kanat means ‘wings’ (in this case, chicken wings). This post has been waiting backstage for a long time to see the light of day. …
Kadın Budu Köfte – Lady Thigh Meatball. Hmm, well, where does this name come from? Ladies, I can’t help but think this particular type of köfte was named by a man who thought he was being humorous in declaring it resembled a woman’s thigh to his male counterparts before having a good old chuckle. If …