Turkish Food: Pt 2
And now on to the richest and the poorest of foods. The simplest of foods I encountered was simit (simeet), a bread circle coated in sesame seeds. In the non-touristy areas they could be found for 50kr (about 35 cents).The most expensive food I encountered was pasta, or cake. These cakes come in many different flavors- my favorite was a white chocolate, coconut and banana flavored one. These small cakes run from 40-60TL, or $30-40. Having tasted many samples of both, I must say I found them both equally enjoyable.
Because Turkey is a Muslim country (93%), there is obviously no pork served. Even at McDonalds, the typical Egg McMuffin is served with a small slice of chicken, but it seemed to me to be ham flavored. Chicken (tavuk sis), beef (doner), and lamb were the most popular meat choices available, however, on the coast of the Bosphorus Straight in Istanbul, fish sandwiches are the specialty- a large fish sandwich costs only 1.50TL from the sea-side carts. Also available from the sea-side carts: tavuk sis or doner durum for 3TL. This includes a foot long piece of bread, a hefty portion of meat, salad, ad occasionally pickles, all piled together in a sandwich. This was by far the most satisfying meal I had while in Turkey, and one of the least expensive!
My other favorites of Turkey include cantik (jauntick), which is a pide type bread topped with cheese and lamb, chicken, or mincemeat; real Turkish baklava (not even comparable to the stuff available in the states (may I recommend trying the chocolate version for a change of pace)); Tutku, a vanilla and chocolate biscuit/cookie filled with a nutella like filling; and Chicken Abdulaziz, a part of the Ottoman cuisine it is a wonderful baked chicken in a cheesy tomato sauce with green onions. But by far my favorite food in Turkey, and the part of Turkey I am going to miss the most, is the Traditional Turkish Breakfast.
The traditional Turkish breakfast consists of a hard boiled egg, fresh raw tomatoes, green and black olives, soft fetal like cheese, crusty bread, arose/fruit flavored honey or jam, and of course, Nescafe.
Mer haba, Gurusarus Turkey!
Comments
It sounds like at the very least you ate well over break. The "Chai" versus chai thing is fairly common, in India too Chai just means tea whereas what we call Chai is something very specific. It was great, too, that you interest in the local cuisine yielded the kind of interaction that most tourists would never have. In that moment, you showed the true power of food to unite. What I was wondering as I read this is why, of all things, is Nescafe so omnipresent? 5/5
Posted by: r. | March 29, 2009 1:40 PM