Turkish culture is a mix of several cultures that have left their elements in the current Turkish culture. Here are a few of them to note and experience:
Turkish foods have been mixed with a variety of cultures, particularly Persian cuisine. The most famous one is Kebab. It was originated from the Middle East, but has been popularized by Turkish cuisine and Iranian cuisine. Kebab is a roasted meat and has a variety of kinds. The most popular ones are Doner Kebab you eat with pocketed bread and Shish Kebab you eat with a skewer.
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| Doner Kebab |
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| Shish Kebab |
Turkish Delight or Lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel. Traditional varieties are often flavored with rosewater, mastic gum, bergamot orange, or lemon.
Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrum or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine and it is definitely one of my favorites. Its shape and tastes are slightly different from country to country.
Turkey is also known for its tea. Turkey holds the highest per capita tea consumption in the world with annual consumption of 3 kg per person. Turkey is among the top tea exporters. It plays a pivotal role in its social gatherings at the tea house and in the garden with the tea served in a tulip-shaped glass called Ince Belli. It is an important part of Turkish culture.
Turkey does not produce any coffee, but there is an expression of Turkish Coffee. It is a style of coffee in which the coffee is finely ground and served in cezve without any filtering.
Turkish ice cream is called Dondurma. It has two distinct features compared to other western ice cream. Once is hard texture and resistance to melting. It is delicious, but more than anything else, it is well known for the performance of the ice cream shop worker who attracts customers with a tricky show. It develops into a fiasco at touristy places because they give the ice cream first without telling the price and trying to rip off the customers.
Turkish Bath or Hammam is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world. It is a form of therapy, a method of cleansing, and a place of relaxation. It has now spread into the U.S. and Europe.
Turkish Hookah or Nagile is a way to smoke tobacco through cold water so that nicotine is filtered. Its has other names, such as hubble-bubble, sheesha, or Turkish water pipe.
After we stayed in Istanbul for a week, I felt I have experienced the city pretty well. But I am sure I have only scratched the surface. It was an interesting city with a lot of excitements. - Jeffrey
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