Meze – A way of life
As the waiter approaches with the biggest tray full of small plates filled with delicious meze possible, a sheer excitement starts at the table. It almost requires a doctrine to…
La Cave; Food Heroes,
whoever we have left
I wonder why we are loosing or lost already our connection with genuine things… Why are we settling for the colorless… What is the derivative here, just time? Or did…
Stuffed Artichoke
aka Enginar Dolma
We like to stuff every vegetable in Turkey. So we stuff artichokes too, that is not so bizarre after all. With or without lamb meat would be your choice, but…
Istanbul, right now…
Really, what is happening with all the terrorist attacks, with the turmoil in politics, a failed coup attempt, subdued economic depression, urban transformations and all the negative things going on…
Yogurt, the delicious fermentation
Yogurt is yogurt, for us. Not a big fuss, one of the essential ingredients of every household. We love yogurt, not a secret. On the lands of Anatolia, people know…
Şile Earth Market
To the market, to the market I said, ready in front of the door with my hundred and two shopping bags, sneakers on, lots of small banknotes to make our…
Erasing the history
Is it just the beginning, is it gonna get worse? The law is clear as crystal, it was put into action on July 2014, giving the power to landlords to evacuate…
Adana and Kebab
Adana partly Mediterranean, highly Arab influenced, the city of industry, kebab and great people. On my recent trip to the city, after many years, we had great kebab, walked all…
Rakı and Fish, A Mediterranean Seafood Odyssey: A Mighty Book
The book opens with the famous words of Ara Güler, “Fish is caught, not with net or rod, but with rakı.” –Ne ağ, ne olta, balık rakıyla yakalanır.- As for…
Istanbul’s Coffee Shops: Petra Roasting Co.
Although Istanbul is bursting with new coffee shops almost around every corner, I love sticking to my fave ones. Another one of them is Petra Roasting Co. at Selenium Residence just…
Mesmering Turkey, my beautiful country…
This video tells a story of people, of places, of the land of many cultures of my amazing country…If you have not fell in love with my country, I promise…
48 hours in Istanbul – where to eat?!
48 hours in Istanbul is never enough! You think you will be thorn in between the Hagia Sophia, a Bosphorus tour, may be a Princes Island getaway, what about Chora…
Asım Usta’s döner as the best
fast feast of Europe!
On the phone with Asım Usta -to me-: Where have you been?!! The nature of our conversations, meetings have always been the same, the same kindness, sincerity, friendship coming from…