Tea is the first drink of the day in Turkey, in fact the word for breakfast in Turkish literally translates as ‘before coffee’. You may want to consider lining your stomach before drinking Turkish coffee with Menemen a traditional breakfast egg dish served with tomatoes, peppers, onions and olive oil, it doesn’t look particularly appetising, but is actually quite delicious! Turkish pancakes, or Gozleme are also nice for breakfast, or at any other time of the day as well really! They come in sweet and savoury options.
Turkish food has many influences from the middle east, north from the Balkans and to the west. Food from western Turkey, along the Aegean coast is very similar to Greek Food and as the region cultivates olive trees, this is perhaps unsurprising. Meze is a selection of small dishes dishes served before the main meal and many are similar to dishes you will see in Greece as well. Dolma, taram and humus. We particularly liked the firey tomato dip.
Other interesting dishes included a delicious shrimp casserole and blue crab, which was in season when we were on holiday. Turkish pizza or Pide which are not really pizza at all and balloon bread, Lava, which comes to the table puffed up from the oven, dusted with nigella seeds and is served with garlic butter.
But what are the origins of Baklavas? The Greeks and Turks have argued over this layered filo pastry with nuts and infused with honey and it has been claimed by both countries as their own. But seeing as how Greece and Turkey share influences from the Byzantine and Roman Empires it is entirely possible that it developed simultaneously. We tried other traditional puddings including a lovely milky rice pudding, dusted with cinnamon and nuts. With a small digestive of Raki to finish off, a true taste of Turkey!
Our youngest son was invited to make his own flat bread at one restaurant we went to in Dalyan
