Jul 16
Friday
Gözleme Organik: Don’t Call it a Pancake
“You’re going to make mine thin,” said an old man with Coke-bottle glasses.
“Not too thin, it will break. We load these full of stuff, sir, and it’s all organic!” replied Hacer Hanım.
“Whatever, just make mine thin and put some cheese in there,” the man grumbled.
Hacer Hanım turned her back on the crusty old codger to face Us, her concerned audience, who’d already questioned her about the origins of her farm-fresh cheese (the Aegean island of Gökçeada), funky little mushrooms (the Black Sea’s Kastamonu) and mixed greens (Zonguldak, also on the Black Sea). “On Saturdays during the organic market, we are just too busy! Actors, models, wealthy people, people of culture, Japanese people even, they are all eating my gözleme. And it is all organic!” the grand dame of the griddle chirped, as if in a commercial. Continue…
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Quick Look
Recent Posts
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Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
no responses - Posted 05.08.18
That much of the past seems to stick to Samatya is a marvel in Istanbul, a city being rebuilt and “restored” at an alarming pace. First, there’s the question of its name. Occupying a stretch of the Marmara Sea and squeezed between the old city walls and Kumkapı, an area home to a rotating cast of eclectic restaurants, the neighborhood still ... continue -
Spring Surprises: Skewering the First Fruits in Istanbul
no responses - Posted 04.25.18
It was the first of April and an absolutely pristine Istanbul spring day, the kind where one can break a slight sweat walking up a hill then catch a cool breeze in a nearby patch of shade. Returning to the city from a lovely weekend on Büyükada, we were smitten with spring and wanted to indulge in its finest offerings. In ... continue -
Farewell, Pando: An Istanbul Culinary Legend Passes On
no responses - Posted 04.16.18
It’s Saturday around lunchtime and business as usual in the bustling Beşiktaş Çarşı neighborhood, as crowds of mostly younger people fill the narrow streets. Down on Mumcu Bakkal Sokak, a pedestrian-only street lined with miniscule shops, a line around the block has been formed by those eager to get into one of the city’s best döner spots. For many of those ... continue -
Bağdat Ocakbaşı: Licensed to Grill
no responses - Posted 04.09.18
Istanbul’s T1 tramway is relatively pleasant if you can find a seat, but borders on unbearable if you are on your feet. Back in 2015, we wrote about a trip we took from the line’s first stop all the way to one of its last, which lies way out in the district of Güngören. By the time the tram has made ... continue -
Dose & Istos Café: Greek Revival
no responses - Posted 03.30.18
A café at its best is so much more than the sum of its parts: it’s a place where people can easily mingle, share ideas, and dertleşmek, or commiserate over their troubles, all while imbibing caffeine. At the same time, it’s a place where visitors might feel an invisible thread of common beliefs connecting them, an unspoken camaraderie, even if ... continue -
Back to the Land: Urban Turks Tackle Rural Life
no responses - Posted 03.23.18
When Buket Ulukut first moved from Istanbul to a rural plot of land in the foothills of the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey, she was leading a double life. “I’d be taking calls from clients in Europe while out amidst the rows of peppers and eggplants, hoping they didn’t hear the rooster crowing in the background,” says Ulukut, who worked in ... continue -
Semt Pazarları, Civic Life Perfected
no responses - Posted 03.09.18
“Two kilos five liraaa! Two kilos five liraaa!” bellowed a young and exuberant vendor of tomatoes to the ongoing stream of frugal-minded shoppers making their way through the snaking Tarlabaşı Sunday Market. Hundreds of sellers of fresh produce, dairy, seafood, kitchenware, clothing, smuggled tobacco, jewelry, fresh baked goods and numerous other items set up side by side in the central Istanbul ... continue
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Hanging On to History: Edible Nostalgia in Samatya
All entries filed under this archive
Pamuk Usta’s Nohut Dürüm: Garbanzo Gone Gonzo
3 responses - Posted 06.21.10
In previous posts, we’ve reported on the unusual eating habits in Turkey’s hot and dusty Southeast. In Gaziantep, we noted the “wake and flake” baklava breakfast. In Urfa it was a morning dose of grilled liver. But in the town of Nizip (and elsewhere in the area), the favored first ...continue
3 responses - Posted 06.21.10
In previous posts, we’ve reported on the unusual eating habits in Turkey’s hot and dusty Southeast. In Gaziantep, we noted the “wake and flake” baklava breakfast. In Urfa it was a morning dose of grilled liver. But in the town of Nizip (and elsewhere in the area), the favored first ...continue
Up in Smoke: Homegrown Turkish Delights
2 responses - Posted 05.20.10
Yesterday, a New York Times article, titled “Marijuana Fuels a New Kitchen Culture,” reported that some “chefs are unabashedly open about marijuana’s role in their creative and recreational lives and its effect on their restaurants.” With dishes like poutine of foie grois, cereal milk flavored soft-serve ice cream and deep-fried ...continue
2 responses - Posted 05.20.10
Yesterday, a New York Times article, titled “Marijuana Fuels a New Kitchen Culture,” reported that some “chefs are unabashedly open about marijuana’s role in their creative and recreational lives and its effect on their restaurants.” With dishes like poutine of foie grois, cereal milk flavored soft-serve ice cream and deep-fried ...continue
Read Between the Buns 3: Istanbul’s Burgers
4 responses - Posted 04.14.10
(Editor’s Note: We've been looking this week at some of the new burger places that have recently opened up in Istanbul. After trying out some of these new joints, our thoughts kept drifting back to the classic "Wet Burger" served by Kizilkayalar in Taksim. A true Turkish original, the "Wet ...continue
4 responses - Posted 04.14.10
(Editor’s Note: We've been looking this week at some of the new burger places that have recently opened up in Istanbul. After trying out some of these new joints, our thoughts kept drifting back to the classic "Wet Burger" served by Kizilkayalar in Taksim. A true Turkish original, the "Wet ...continue
2nd Photo Competition: Winner of Week 2
2 responses - Posted 03.31.10
We are proud to announce the second weekly winner of our 2nd photo competition, which is focusing on portraits of people working in the food business. The weekly winners will be among the group of “top 10” submitted images, from which our readers will select a final winner. The contest ends ...continue
2 responses - Posted 03.31.10
We are proud to announce the second weekly winner of our 2nd photo competition, which is focusing on portraits of people working in the food business. The weekly winners will be among the group of “top 10” submitted images, from which our readers will select a final winner. The contest ends ...continue
Hey EU, Hands off my doner!
2 responses - Posted 03.10.10
Turkey’s EU accession talks have raised a lot of important questions on reform, accompanied by predictable growing pains. But the latest news from Ankara, which can be read in Turkish in this article in the daily Radikal newspaper, makes us more than a bit uncomfortable. According to the article, Turkey’s food ...continue
2 responses - Posted 03.10.10
Turkey’s EU accession talks have raised a lot of important questions on reform, accompanied by predictable growing pains. But the latest news from Ankara, which can be read in Turkish in this article in the daily Radikal newspaper, makes us more than a bit uncomfortable. According to the article, Turkey’s food ...continue
Kelle Söğüş vs. Kelle Tandir: Face/Off
3 responses - Posted 03.01.10
Don’t people just love to fight about food? Punch-ups over which city makes the best pizza, brawls about what’s the right way to barbecue. Louis and Ella nearly called the whole thing off over the pronunciation of the word “tomato.” In this pugilistic spirit, we took our place at a couple ...continue
3 responses - Posted 03.01.10
Don’t people just love to fight about food? Punch-ups over which city makes the best pizza, brawls about what’s the right way to barbecue. Louis and Ella nearly called the whole thing off over the pronunciation of the word “tomato.” In this pugilistic spirit, we took our place at a couple ...continue
Fıstık Kebap: Much Love for Lahmacun
8 responses - Posted 02.12.10
Let’s face it: lahmacun is easy to get excited about. It checks all of the boxes of a perfect savory snack – crispy-oven fired crust, light and spicy meat spread, with a fresh green topping and a tangy spray from a lemon. It’s like an artisanal pizza with a Middle ...continue
8 responses - Posted 02.12.10
Let’s face it: lahmacun is easy to get excited about. It checks all of the boxes of a perfect savory snack – crispy-oven fired crust, light and spicy meat spread, with a fresh green topping and a tangy spray from a lemon. It’s like an artisanal pizza with a Middle ...continue
Istanbul Eats Drinks: Asma Altı Café Bar
no responses - Posted 02.05.10
Models don’t hang out at Asma Alti Café Bar and Mustafa, the bartender, isn’t experimenting with lost Ottoman-era concoctions or any dry ice hocus-pocus. In fact, order anything but an Efes draft – an Efes Light, for instance – and watch the waiter scramble off to the corner store to ...continue
no responses - Posted 02.05.10
Models don’t hang out at Asma Alti Café Bar and Mustafa, the bartender, isn’t experimenting with lost Ottoman-era concoctions or any dry ice hocus-pocus. In fact, order anything but an Efes draft – an Efes Light, for instance – and watch the waiter scramble off to the corner store to ...continue
Wet Burgers: As Seen on TV!
3 responses - Posted 01.21.10
Editor's note: Along with Dürümzade, Istanbul Eats favorite Kızılkayalar was also featured in the recent episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." The Taksim veteran's famous "wet burgers" - which Bourdain seemed to enjoy immensely - came in 3rd place in our recent "Top 5 Istanbul Street Foods" competition. For those ...continue
3 responses - Posted 01.21.10
Editor's note: Along with Dürümzade, Istanbul Eats favorite Kızılkayalar was also featured in the recent episode of Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." The Taksim veteran's famous "wet burgers" - which Bourdain seemed to enjoy immensely - came in 3rd place in our recent "Top 5 Istanbul Street Foods" competition. For those ...continue
Istanbul’s Top 5 Street Foods: #1 – Sabırtaşı’s İçli Köfte
5 responses - Posted 12.04.09
Editors's note: This is the final installment in our (highly subjective) look at Istanbul's top five street foods. For years on İstiklal Caddesi, just beyond Galatasaray High School, in one calm spot stood the beatific Ali Bey, an angel in a white doctor’s coat offering salvation in the form of golden ...continue
5 responses - Posted 12.04.09
Editors's note: This is the final installment in our (highly subjective) look at Istanbul's top five street foods. For years on İstiklal Caddesi, just beyond Galatasaray High School, in one calm spot stood the beatific Ali Bey, an angel in a white doctor’s coat offering salvation in the form of golden ...continue
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