| Due to the great extent of the Ottoman Empire | | | | after and between meals. Turkish coffee is |
| reaching from Europe to Africa and Middle East | | | | muddy on the bottom and is very strong. It is |
| until a century ago, the traditional cuisine today still | | | | served in traditional cups which are shorter and |
| carries a touch of both the western and eastern | | | | smaller than usual mugs and they all have little |
| cuisines. Most of the traditional food can be | | | | handles. Some popular deserts include baklava |
| classified as Mediterranean and some as Middle | | | | which is a pastry that has either nuts or pistachio |
| Eastern. The Turkish cuisine today is considered | | | | mixed in it. Turkish Delight (lokums) also are |
| to be one of the diverse cuisines in the world of | | | | usually made up of rose water and are covered |
| culinary. | | | | with sugar. They usually include crushed nuts in |
| Breakfast: | | | | them. |
| If you are staying in a hotel that is serving | | | | Food throughout the country is usually prepared |
| traditional Turkish breakfast, you can expect to | | | | with the utmost care and is very clean. Most of |
| be served feta cheese, sliced tomatoes, green | | | | the traditional food is prepared with more |
| and black olives, sour cherry and strawberry jam, | | | | attention given to taste rather than nutrition and |
| scrambled eggs, meat salami, soujuk (a kind of | | | | some dieticians may not classify them as healthy |
| pepperoni), fresh fruits, honey and yogurt. Besides | | | | considering today's diet standards since most of |
| these you will be served with many types of | | | | them contain a lot of fats or carbs. |
| white bread and croissant type pastries. Turks | | | | Some samples of Mezes (tapas): |
| accept the breakfast to the king of meals and | | | | Traditional mezes include but are not limited to: |
| they choose to treat their guests like champs. | | | | Humus: mashed chickpeas and tahini spread. A |
| You will leave your hotel ready to take a long | | | | traditional Middle Eastern tapas. Eggplant Salad: |
| walk with enough energy only from the breakfast | | | | Grilled eggplant puree seasoned with garlic lemon |
| you just had. | | | | and olive oil Cacik: thick yogurt and cucumber |
| Other Traditional Food: | | | | seasoned with garlic and fresh dill Yaprak Sarma: |
| Kebabs are very popular throughout the country | | | | hand rolled grape leaves stuffed with pine nuts, |
| although there are various ways it can be served. | | | | rice and herbs Imam Bayildi (Stuffed Eggplant): |
| Yogurt kebab is very popular since Turks usually | | | | Baby eggplant halves stuffed with fresh |
| tend to mix any kind of food with yogurt, some | | | | tomatoes, parsley and spices Soslu Patlican |
| examples include rice or pasta. "Iskender Kebab" | | | | (Eggplants with sauce): cubes of eggplant baked |
| which originated around Bursa also includes yogurt | | | | with olive oil and garnish with tomatoes and |
| but it is mostly made up of thinly sliced gyro | | | | peppers Babaganush: Smoked eggplant puree, |
| served over cubicles of pide (white bread) topped | | | | olive oil, lemon juice and some garlic. Stuffed |
| with tomato sauce and has the yogurt served on | | | | Grape Leaves: Grape leaves stuffed with rice, |
| the side of the plate. "Manti" is another Turkish | | | | topped with olive oil and sometimes meat. Lebne: |
| dish that is being served with yogurt; it is more a | | | | Thick homemade yogurt with walnut garlic and dill. |
| kind of tortellini filled with meat. "Doner" is the | | | | Tarama: Red caviar spread, blended with olive oil |
| famous 'gyro' which is usually lamp meat cut into | | | | and lemon juice |
| very thin slices… The infamous shish | | | | Traditional Drinks: |
| kebab would be the cubicles of meat and other | | | | Raki is the Turkish neighbor of Greek Ouzo which |
| vegetables on a skewer and again the favorite | | | | is made up of aniseed and various grapes. It is a |
| choice of meat of locals happens to be "lamb | | | | transparent drink that turns into white when |
| meat". Chicken is another but a healthier option | | | | mixed with water or ice. However, the locals |
| that can be served the same way as these meat | | | | prefer to drink it mixed with just a little of water |
| kebabs. | | | | and ice in a thin and tall glass followed by a |
| Since the country is covered by water on three | | | | second similar glass filled only with water. Alcoholic |
| sides, seafood is a major part of the traditional | | | | drinks are widely available although Turkey is a |
| cuisine. Most popular seafood include shrimp, | | | | country where the majority of the population is |
| calamari or fishes such as Lufer (bluefish), palamut | | | | Muslim and the religion prohibits consumption of |
| (bonito), levrek (seabass), kalkan (turbot), kefal | | | | alcoholic beverages. However, the country is |
| (grey mullet) or hamsi which is the favorite from | | | | secular and the consumption is in high volumes. It |
| the Black Sea region. In Istanbul seaside. it is | | | | is not considered a wrongdoing for those who |
| possible can run into street vendors that sell grilled | | | | choose to drink. Raki is the most popular drink |
| fish in white bread just like a sandwich. All | | | | that accompanies seafood; just like what white |
| traditional dishes can be expected to be served | | | | wine is to seafood or red wine is to red meat in |
| with spices such as garlic, cumin, crushed red | | | | the western countries. The most popular local |
| peppers, oregano or mint. Salad dressings are | | | | bear is Efes which is very similar to the traditional |
| usually a combination of fresh squeezed lemon | | | | American bears and other imported bears such as |
| juice and vegetable oil. | | | | Budweiser or Corona are widely available. |
| Tea and coffee are widely consumed, especially | | | | |