For those
who travel engaged in culinary pursuits, the Turkish Cuisine is a very
curious one. The variety of dishes that make up the Cuisine, the ways they
all come together in feast-like meals, and the evident intricacy of each
craft offer enough material for life-long study and enjoyment. It is not
easy to discern a basic element or a single dominant feature, like the
Italian "pasta" or the French "sauce". Whether in a humble home, at a
famous restaurant, or at a dinner in a Bey's mansion, familiar patterns of
this rich and diverse Cuisine are always present. It is a rare art, which
satisfies your senses while reconfirming the higher order of society;
community and culture.
A
practical-minded child watching Mother cook "cabbage dolma" on a lazy;
gray winter day is bound to wonder : "Who on earth discovered this
peculiar combination of sautéed rice, pine-nuts, currants, spices, herbs
and all tightly wrapped in translucent leaves of cabbage all exactly half
an inch thick and stacked up on an oval serving plate decorated with lemon
wedges? How was it possible to transform this humble vegetable to such
heights of fashion and delicacy with so few additional ingredients? And,
how can such a yummy dish possibly also be good for one"
The modern mind, in a moment of contemplation, has
similar thoughts upon entering a modest sweets shop in Turkey where
"baklava" is the generic cousin of a dozen or so sophisticated sweet
pastries with names like : twisted turban, sultan, saray (palace), lady's
navel, nightingale's nest... The same experience awaits you at a
"muhallebi" (pudding shop) with a dozen different types of milk puddings.
One can
only conclude that the evolution of this glorious Cuisine was not an
accident. Similar to other grand Cuisine of the world, it is a result of
the combination of three key elements. A nurturing environment is
irreplaceable. Turkey is known for an abundance and diversity of foodstuff
due to its rich flora, fauna and regional differentiation. And the legacy
of an Imperial Kitchen is inescapable. Hundreds of cooks specializing in
different types of dishes, all eager to please the royal palate, no doubt
had their influence in perfecting the Cuisine as we known it today The
Palace Kitchen, supported by a complex social organization, a vibrant
urban life, specialization of labor, trade, and total control of the Spice
Road, reflected the culmination of wealth and the flourishing of culture
in the capital of a mighty Empire. And the influence of the longevity of
social organization should not be taken lightly either. The Turkish State
of Anatolia is a millenium old and so, naturally, is the Cuisine. Time is
of the essence; as Ibn'i Haldun wrote, "The religion of the King, in time,
becomes that of the People", which also holds for the King's food. This,
the reign of the Ottoman Dynasty during 600 years, and a seamless cultural
transition into the present day of modern Turkey led to the evolution of a
grand Cuisine through differentiation, refinement and perfection of
dishes, as well as their sequence and combination of the meals.
It is
quite rare when all three of the above conditions are met, as they are in
the French, the Chinese and the Turkish Cuisine. The Turkish Cuisine has
the extra privilege of being at the cross-roads of the Far-East and the
Mediterranean, which mirrors a long and complex history of Turkish
migration from the steppes of Central Asia (where they mingled with the
Chinese) to Europe (where they exerted influence all the way to Vienna).
All these unique characteristics and history have bestowed upon the
Turkish Cuisine a rich and varied n umber of dishes, which can be prepared
and combined with other dishes in meals of almost infinite variety, but
always in a non-arbitrary way This led to a Cuisine that is open to
improvisation through development of regional styles, while retaining its
deep structure, as all great works of art do. The Cuisine is also an
integral aspect of culture. It is a part of the rituals of everyday life
events. It reflects spirituality, in for ms that are specific to it,
through symbolism and practice.
Anyone
who visits Turkey or has a meal in a Turkish home, regardless of the
success of the particular cook, is sure to notice how unique the Cuisine
is. Our intention here is to help the uninitiated to enjoy Turkish food by
achieving a higher level of understanding of the repertoire of dishes,
related cultural practices and their spiritual meaning.
We can arrange
your honeymoon in Turkey! deluxe honeymoon suites in Turkey,
Honeymoon tailormade packages, luxury honeymoon holidays
packages, Honeymoon in Turkey Mediterranean Honeymoon package
tour Turkey great deal honeymoon packages in Turkey, Honeymoon
tour Istanbul, Honeymoon vacations packages Honeymoon tours
Kusadasi Honeymoon Holiday in Turkey, Private Honeymoon Holiday
Turkey Honeymoon holidays Bodrum, Aegean honeymoon holidays
marmaris, romantic honeymoon tour turkey honeymoon package
holiday fethiye, Private honeymoon tours Antalya Turkey, special
honeymoon in Turkey, budget honeymoon in Turkey,Honeymoon Boat
Cruises Turkey,Honeymoon Hotel Turkey,Honeymoon Hotels Istanbul
About
Us
