Wednesday
FeaturesKaymak: The Heavenly Cream
In our imagination, kaymak – the delicious Turkish version of clotted cream – is the only food served in heaven, where angels in white robes dish out plate after plate of the cloudlike stuff to the dearly departed, who no longer have to worry about cholesterol counts and visits to the cardiologist.
Perhaps we’re getting carried away, but kaymak can do that to you. For our money, the classic Turkish combo of kaymak served with honey and crusty white bread is one of the finest breakfasts anywhere.
The stuff is glorious, but simple. Milk – preferably from domesticated water buffaloes, known as “manda” in Turkish – is slowly boiled until a thick layer of very rich, pure white cream forms at the top. After it cools, the kaymak is rolled up into little logs that have a consistency that hovers somewhere in between liquid and solid, with a creamy taste that’s both subtle and rich at the same time.
The stuff is also quite delicate, with a shelf life of barely one day. Still, purists refuse to refrigerate it, lest it lose its texture and pick up any refrigerator odors. Like we said, kaymak can make people get carried away.
Two of our favorite places to try kaymak are:
Besiktas Kaymakci – This tiny shop/eatery has been in business since 1895, and it certainly shows its age. The marble counter is cracked and the paint on the walls peeling. But the kaymak, served up by the 84-year-old Pando, a living institution in Istanbul’s untouristed Besiktas bazaar, is out of this world. Prices here also seem unchanged since 1895: a plate of kaymak and honey, served with fresh bread and a glass of steaming hot milk, will set you back 4 lira.
Address: Koyici Meydani Sok., Besiktas Telephone: 212-258-2616
Karakoy Ozsut – Compared to Pando in Besiktas, this place – open since 1915 – is a relative newcomer to the kaymak scene. Located near the Karakoy waterfront, Ozsut also serves up very good kaymak (as well as yogurt and rustic cheeses) made from the restaurant’s own herd of water buffaloes, whose pictures grace the walls.
Address: Yemişçi Hasan Sk. No: 9/11, Karaköy Telephone: 212-293-3031
Post Tags: Besiktas, Breakfast, dessert, Karakoy, Kaymak, Specialty foods
- Apr 13, 2009 : Istanbul Eats
Apr 6, 2009
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I am totally obsessed with kaymak and had it for breakfast on bread with honey nearly every day I was in Istanbul. I also had a generous scoop on lots of candied fruits like pumpkin (kabak tatlisi) So good, so fattening and so worth it!
Apr 13, 2009
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There is a great 3rd generation kaymak stop in Kumkapi (close to the restaurants). Also very much the real deal.
It’s called Boris’in Yeri (Boris’ Place)
Merkez Ordekli Bakkal Sok 17
Kumkapi
Aug 27, 2009
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Of all the things from Turkey / Istanbul that I miss in NYC area this is one thing. Kaymak is pure indulgence, a guilty pleasure. In some form or the other it is available in a lot of other countries too. In Afghanistan they have this with a sweet (slightly sweet) bread called Roate (like BOAT but with R). The Afghani Kaymak is very similar to the Turkish Kaymak. The Kaymak from Bosnia is lighter like whipped cream and taste like butter. In NYC I get my Kaymak fix from i) Sjenica (278 Parker Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011) & ii) Yakamoz Restaurant (1095 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07503)
Sep 4, 2009
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I was in Istanbul recently and came across the little blue shop you describe. It was an unbelievable breakfast. I have some friends going over soon and I want to tell them how to get to it. Are you fairly sure that street name is right? Koyici Meydani Sok, I mean. I had lunch at a durum place opposite that is also well known in the area.
Sep 4, 2009
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Glad you found the place and enjoyed it. It’s one of our all-time favorite places. We’re fairly sure that’s the right address, but we’ll double check. It’s a very well known spot, so if all else fails, tell your friends to just go to the Besiktas market and as for “kaymakci Pando”.
Sep 9, 2009
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Hi Neil,
We haven’t had a chance to physically check the address. The best way to get there is to find your way to the big statue of the eagle, which is in the middle of the Besiktas market, and then ask for “Kaymakci Pando.” Everybody knows him. Good luck.