Istanbul Eats » simit

Sesame Ring Circus

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 07:03:03 +0000

We’ve previously sung the praises of the humble but mighty simit, naming it one of our “Top 5″ street foods and marveling at its ability to take on the bagel on its home turf.

It looks like Istanbul municipal officials have gotten wise to the bread ring’s rise. Yesterday marked the beginning of the first ever “Sultanahmet Simit Festival,” sponsored by the local municipality and the tourism office of the Istanbul governor’s office. Beyond, of course, offering simits, the festival will also feature music performances and the presentation of a new documentary about the ubiquitous baked street snack (title: “Be Spread, Sesame Seeds”).

Turkish officials and businessmen clearly have high hopes for the simit. According to an article in today’s Hurriyet Daily News, the head of the Turkish Franchise Association said at a press conference that he believes the simit could become a global culinary icon, in the same league as “sushi or spaghetti.”

Istanbul’s Provincial Culture and Tourism Minister, meanwhile, told reporters that his office is, ahem, “advising” hotels in Istanbul “to to offer simit along with a glass of tea and aged cheese at their five o’clock teas.” Yes sir!

More details on the simit festival (sadly, only in Turkish) can be found on the festival’s official website, here.

Istanbul’s Top 5 Street Foods: #2 – Çitir Simit Bakery

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:30:37 +0000

Let’s hear it for the (deceptively simple) simit. With only a few ingredients to its name, this sesame-encrusted bread ring has gone on to become the most ubiquitous snack in Istanbul, the undisputed heavyweight champ of the city’s street food scene. In fact, in recent years, the plucky simit has gone to even greater heights: once only sold from carts and by itinerant vendors carrying wooden trays on their heads, the snack is now the headlining act at several new, nationwide fast-food chains with names such as Simit Sarayi (Simit Palace) and Simit Dunyasi (Simit World) (and has even made its way to New York).

But despite its crisp exterior and tough street cred, the simit is actually a softie. Like a delicate flower that begins to wilt as soon as it is plucked out of the ground, the simit starts to fade as soon as it leaves the oven. By the time many simits reach the streets, they are already past their prime and heading towards a state where they make better hockey pucks or paperweights than snacks.

That’s why we prefer to get our simits straight form the source. There are small simit bakeries hidden all over town, but one of our favorites is Çitir in the Karakoy neighborhood, where the somewhat gruff Emir Ozdemir has been manning the brick oven for 20 years. All day long, Ozdemir turns out tray after tray of hot simits, either to hungry individuals passing by or to roving vendors who stop by to replenish their stock. Fresh out of the oven, the simit reveals its complexity, the contrast between its crispy/crunchy exterior and its soft, steamy interior more defined, and the earthy, nutlike flavor of the almost charred sesame seeds that coat it more pronounced. The knockout punch? All of this for only 75 kurus (50 cents). Pow!

Address: Mumhane Cadessi No. 83-85, Karakoy
Telephone: 212-244-7775

(photo by Yigal Schleifer)

The Simit Has Landed, pt. II

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:00:32 +0000

The Nov. 25 New York Times has a quick review of the new Upper East Side Manhattan branch of Gulluoglu, an Istanbul baklava maker (not to be confused, as we initially did, with the legendary Istanbul baklava house also called Gulluoglu). We recently linked to a New York Magazine item about the fresh baked simits being sold there, but it turns out they are also turning out other Turkish delights (the savory kind). You can read the Times review here.

The Simit Has Landed

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:09:39 +0000

New York Magazine reports two potentially earthshaking pieces of news. First: Istanbul baklava maker Gulluoglu has opened up a branch on the east side of Manhattan. Two: they are serving freshly-baked simits (“looking a little like the secret love child of the bagel and the street pretzel,” as the magazine describes them).

The fast food scene in Istanbul, over the last few years, has been overtaken by a number of chains selling freshly-baked simits. But will the street-wise simit be able to take on the mighty bagel in its hometown? Is this only the start of what might soon be a campaign for global simit domination? As they say, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.

(hat tip Bumpershine)