While we were at the Aegean coast, Sibel and Filiz planned a trip to Urla, Filiz being a local since she moved there so I left myself, my senses, my appetite in her hands, feeling lucky I have friends like them. We arrived Iskele, Urla at mid morning, after our fulfilling katmer…
Just a usual morning for me, asking the waiter if I can visit the kitchen and chat with ustas… For me, as I always say, watching the true masters, this experience is more important then the food itself, hence it is them, ustas, who make the food that treasured. Urla katmer…
Döner kebab -for the beginners- is a meat dish consists of deboned meat layered on a vertical spit, roasted rotating on its axis, then cut -shaved- thin slices with a special long knife aka döner bıçağı… Served as pide sandwich, wrapped in lavaş, in half loaf of bread or plated on…
Pazar changes its color like seasons. Fruits, flowers, vegetables even the stalls selling homemade produce change… spring is one of the liveliest times and as the summer approaches, I was not surprised to see the heap of clothing switched to heap of sun bathing suits, shorts, t-shirts… Some may be taken by…
There is artichoke and then there is artichoke. Do you wonder where the big fatty artichokes you see around the city are from? Izmir, you think? Going through the markets, all these colourful plastic basins full of artichoke hearts, beautiful heaps of artichoke displays stops you. They may look sight for sore eyes. They are called Kıbrıs…
Have I told you about my heritage, I might have. My grand grand mother is from Thessaloniki, Greece and my grand father is from Mardin. My roots pretty much drew my life, my faith in food. Growing up with the best home-cooked meals that a person can eat, I was…
Kadıköy Balık Pazarı is looking vivid and colorful, with the fish mongers yelling their guts out, they sure do like showing off with their fish! As the weather starts getting cold, the fish gets better and better, their meat fatty and firm. So it is time for a grilled/pan fried bonito…
The book is out! This is my first book as a photographer, I have to say I am very excited! Ateşin ve Güneşin Tadı, Gaziantep Mutfağı ( A taste of sun and fire, Gaziantep Cookery) is a collective work, me being the photographer, Aylin Öney was the editor, Suzan Aral being…
Kaplan’ın Yeri in Tire İzmir is a phenomenon. Climbing up the hill, surrounded by olive trees and wild nature, you see cows, horses, goats… Passing the nice small village Kaplan, admiring the small streets, our jaws dropping cause the view, Tire laying under your feet and mother nature. Place full of…