I once created a cooking class, called 'Zen in the Kitchen'. Then wrote a book called the same. Then started the group with that name and the blog came after. All this happened in Turkish. Now is the time for the English version of it. Let's see what will cook here!

Friday, September 08, 2006

Foods to live for-a food project

Walking on the Lycian Path with Kate Clow. September 18-October 2nd.
If you're interested pls. check this site for further info.

This is what Isil says:
"Susan of Fatfree Vegan Kitchen invited me over to a project which was started by Melissa at Traveler's Lunch Box. The idea behind this is to create a list of food bloggers' top picks for things you've eaten and think that everyone should eat at least once before they die. As Melissa puts it, this can be used as a global food guide."
And Isil asks my five unbearable, untouchable, unforgettable, un... foods. This may not be my lifetime list since tastes change as life goes on. Anyhow, here is the five:
Olives and freshly squeezed juice of'em. You have to smell it first then get a piece of bread. Just a touch of olive oil perfumes the bread. Eat it with your eyes closed. This photo is taken in Ayvalık, northern Aegean, Turkey last fall. I was invited for an olive harvest with a group of journalists. (By the way Ayvalik's oliveoil is among the best in Turkey)

Grapes and wine. Red wine. Just a glass every evening. Shiraz, merlot, kalecik karasi, bogazkere, okuzgozu (last three are Turkish grapes). Anywhere. By the sea, at home, with friends, restaurant... This photo is taken in Bozcaada, northern Aegean, Turkey. We were invited for a sunset party just recently. My dear friend Umit's hand is the one that you see. And Arzu was the wonderful woman who invited us.

A life without tomatoes is a boring one. Who can say no to its red cheeks and the sweet taste? I don't know how Turks lived without it in the old days. It's been grown in Anatolia for the last 2-3 hundred years. That's it. But tomato is the queen of summer tables. From sunrise till sunset, we eat tomatoes. For breakfast, for lunch, for dinner, in meals, in salads, in pasta, in soup... Fresh, cooked, sauted, as a sauce... Whatever you name it. This photo is taken in my garden, Burhaniye, northern Aegean, Turkey. I'm not so proud of my product this year. Hopes and prayers for the next year!

Breakfast. A day cannot start properly without breakfast. Tea is the king, bread is the queen, cheese is the princess, olive is the prince. This is a happy family with lots of relatives. To understand what is a breakfast for us, pls. look my breakfast post. This photo is taken at Zeytinbagi Hotel, Ida Mountains, northern Aegean, Turkey. (And let's not forget the 'simit'. It's hard to think tea without it. Especially if you're on a boat on the Bosphorus.)

Fruits. Any one of them. As long as it's sweet... A day without fruits is a day with no joy. Being born in Anatolia, I consider myself lucky. There is abundance of fruits. You name it I say yes. I could count over 65 fruits for my book 'Stories from a Fruit Tree' book that are grown in Turkey. I'm sure there is more of it. Since winter is on our door, I decided to put this photo which is taken in Antalya, Mediterranean region, Turkey. I love chestnuts, apples and bananas (sorry, I prefer the aromatic Turkish bananas!) as well as grapes, cherries, mulberries, strawberries, peaches, apricots, figs, tangerines, oranges...

6 comments:

Isil Simsek said...

Tijen,
thanks for participating.It was nice to read.

Anonymous said...

thanks for motivating me on writing!
tijen

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Thanks for the link ;-)! I have already linked your english blog...

I am really interested in the Turkish cuisine and like your posts a lot!

Anonymous said...

thanks rosa!
you can ask anything you want to know about turkish cuisine.. I'll be happy to help as long as I have time.
lot's of flavors from the ida mountains..
tijen

Anonymous said...

Merhaba Tijen,

Simdi ben Istanbul'da oturuyorum. Insallah bir yil songra Turk yemegi pisirebilecegim! (ve Turkce konusabilecegim!)

-Yvonne

Anonymous said...

Hi Yvonne,
Pls. feel free to ask for any assistance on food or anything I can do for you. I guess you speak Turkish well for now!
Thanks for visiting.
Tijen