tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206311452011-12-21T08:34:48.200+02:00I 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!Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.comBlogger541100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-35370213153809667112009-11-15T13:27:00.005+02:002009-11-15T13:59:14.157+02:00

Today I'd like to write about a book written on Turkish food by Karin Vaneker (with Pieter Ouddeken and Erwin Slaats). It's called "Verse Munt Lamsbout & Baklava". Karin Vaneker is a Dutch artist and culinary journalist. She interviewed Meliha Genco, a Turkish mother living in Amsterdam with her family. Meliha is originally from Gaziantep so many of the recipes in the book are from that region (

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-10856330355793014612009-09-10T14:08:00.003+03:002009-09-10T14:16:06.692+03:00

If you are in or near Washington DC (US) or are planning a trip to DC in the next weeks, here is good news:There is a Turkish Restaurant Week, organized by Turkish American Association and sponsored by Turkish Cultural Foundation. Between September 18-26, 2009, you can taste traditional Turkish foods for $25 (four course) at the participating restaurants, watch cooking demonstrations where Chef

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-76977885888327926882009-08-01T22:07:00.003+03:002009-08-01T22:10:25.366+03:00

It's the time of the season, when black figs start appearing at the market stands. Just the image of them makes my mouth watering. I know the honeylike taste of them. Unfortunately, I don't know how to stop, when I start eating them. One, three, five, seven. Oh no, I should stop now. May be one more. Or two?

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-59062574781392021382009-07-25T09:46:00.004+03:002009-07-25T09:52:21.559+03:00

Below, you can find a link to Jennifer Hattam's article A Year of Green, Seasonal Eating in Istanbul with lovely photos. You'll recognize the link for Zen in the Kitchen on the 11th photo, where she also talks about the olives. Yes, it's true that I cure my own olives and getting used to this taste, I can hardly buy cured olives. These are the olives I buy at Antalya farmers' markets to prepare

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-17320721170538293132009-05-04T11:33:00.001+03:002009-05-04T11:34:38.841+03:00

Here is an article by Jane Tuna. She interviewed me on the wild greens of the Aegean:http://hurarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/haber.aspx?id=11543912

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-19189887909838859452009-05-02T10:19:00.003+03:002009-05-02T10:23:28.226+03:00

A little dish I created last week. By chance. Or lets put it this way, by imagination. Are you like me? I love imagining dishes before I try creating them. Sometimes I like the result, sometimes I don't. But usually they make me smile. This was one of them. I had broad beans (fava beans, for us, it's "bakla") I bought from the farmers' market. In Antalya, farmers who bring goods to the

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-26169185038895068682009-04-23T17:43:00.004+03:002009-04-23T17:54:58.269+03:00

What is better than homemade jam? Homemade jam on homemade bread. Or homemade cake. I'm serious. And you know I'm serious.The story began last week. I had a guest from Canada. We had no jam at home. But I had little time to make this easy, fragrant jam. (I call it jam but you may prefer to say jelly.) And yes, I had the ingredients. Two handfuls strawberries, two apples. That was enough for a jar

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-35242928815158832832009-04-09T13:21:00.003+03:002009-04-09T13:27:37.303+03:00

"As fall approaches and the rains begin to bring the parched landscape back to life, wild greens gradually begin to appear in the markets of Bodrum. It takes a bit of knowledge to fully perceive the variety of greens, because the piles of greens on the tables, which seem fairly uniform at first glance, actually contain many different herbs. Collected by village women from gardens, fields, plains

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-13563733791618896942009-03-19T04:21:00.001+02:002009-03-19T04:22:29.645+02:00

They really are mouth watering. Crispy, sour, tasty. They're from a Lebanese restaurant on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Perhaps not the greatest restaurant on earth but these pickles definitely won me!

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-79903243641690382452009-02-11T13:07:00.003+02:002009-02-11T13:18:34.436+02:00

I was very fortunate to work with Chef Michael Smith and the film crew (all wonderful people, director Herrie ten Cate, supervisor producer Dugald McLaren, camera person Dean Skerrett ve sound magician Bruce Thomsen) in Istanbul. I was chosen to be the "fixer" for their Istanbul filming for the tv series CHEF ABROAD. This program is produced by Ocean Entertainment and is shown on Canada Food

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-43864962639379891022008-09-05T10:11:00.001+03:002008-09-05T10:13:03.892+03:00

Here, you can find a feature about my work and my thoughts on Turkish Cuisine. Büşra İpekçi asked, I answered. Hope you'll enjoy reading.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-9867588484858570122008-01-27T10:54:00.001+02:002008-12-09T03:44:09.732+02:00

I took this photo last year, at one of the villages of Kars, an eastern city of Turkey. This woman and other women in her family (an in the village) make this string cheese, called 'çeçil'. They are the ones who makes the cheese but men take them to sell.This is a fried bread (kind of a phyllo dough) I tasted at a small bakery called Tandoory Bread at Borough Park, New York. It was owned by

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-66202588452061133902008-01-24T15:23:00.001+02:002008-12-09T03:44:09.903+02:00

Yes, the first artichokes of the year. This is the best part of travelling. You see so much. You try so many new things, cheeses, snacks, wild greens... This photo is taken at the Selcuk Market, on the 19th of January. Most of you would know Selçuk because of Ephesus. Selçuk is where you go to visit Ephesus. So I'm at the market. It's a sunny day. So warm, so colorful. You start

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-87575092704634245772008-01-08T17:19:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:10.048+02:00

I have colorful memories from the Bodrum Farmers' Market. I lived in Bodrum (a coastal town on the Aegean region of Turkey) for about two years and visiting the weekly market (was on friday) was one of the most thrilling things to do. I always love the variety of the goods and the amazing people (mostly women) who bring them to the market. Usually it is something from the garden or something they

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-34850712159895768852007-12-22T13:29:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:10.203+02:00

I like steaming hot dishes. Especially on cold winter days. Or on days my heart is cold. Even the look of it warms me up. Warms my hands, warms my face, warms my body. Beans are staple food for the natives of the Americas. They have been using this nutritious ingredient in many ways. Then somehow, one day, in one year, beans came to my continent and my ancestors started growing them. Somehow,

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-14887507699919742232007-12-05T03:55:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:10.409+02:00

“There is probably a smell of roasted chestnuts and other good comfortable things all the time, for we are telling Winter Stories - Ghost Stories, or more shame for us - round the Christmas fire; and we have never stirred, except to draw a little nearer to it” says Charles Dickens, depending on this site. I like to think of it that way. Or may be not. I like the feeling of warm, roasted chestnuts

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-44019766850860133052007-11-21T03:13:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:10.511+02:00

It's pumpkin time, isn't it? Halloween is just celebrated, now it's Thanksgiving time. Americans will give their thanks, by eating lots and lots next thursday. Among the dishes, will be a pumpkin pie, as usual. But they won't eat pumpkin ravioli. They won't, but we had it the other day. Not made by me, no no, I'm not that patient. Visiting a famous ravioli and pasta shop some time ago, which is

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-2263004329615370902007-11-13T03:20:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:10.674+02:00

I love the recipes that arrive as a bonus. So simple, so unforgettable, so appetizing, so unexpected. I love recipes that are created through a question: "What if?" What if I make a pasta sauce with the roasted peppers, that are sitting on the counter? Was my question. It was fall and I was buying kilos of red, sweet peppers each time I go to the farmers' market. I love them roasted. A wonderful

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-92074395864922172412007-11-08T01:35:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:11.025+02:00

Who doesn't have memories with pancakes? I do. Like the ones my roommate Heidi used to make, with her dad's recipe. Like the ones we made on the trip to Boston, in our old bus, with the Green Tortoise tour. Like the ones I made for my brother, when he didn't have an oven at home and when he asked for a cake or something sweet. So easy to make, such a great comfort food. Mine have apples and

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-77002704613462023132007-11-06T04:30:00.000+02:002008-12-09T03:44:11.167+02:00

Shiny golden potatoes,just out of the owen.They shine, they shine, they shine,you look, you look, you look.You can't wait to eat'em,but you can't take your eyes off'em.*Easy. Take organic potatoes. Scrub them well, under running water.Cut them in chunks, like the ones on the photo. In a bowl, mix fresh rosemary (cut in small pieces), fresh thyme, salt, freshly ground pepper, paprika, lotsa olive

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-87665787820978750922007-10-19T21:38:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:11.295+02:00

These peppers are from the market. The tuesday market in Antalya. From a very colorful fall market. Incredibly beautiful. You see all colors; purple, red, green, yellow, orange... These are all peppers. They are hot. Extremely hot. Some people eat them, some don't. They make a special pickle with these, with tomatoes. What you do is to buy half a kilo of these peppers. Wash them. Then cut just a

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-3731576565574506582007-10-06T14:15:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:11.492+02:00

Sometimes the cheapest and the simplest ingredients are all you need, to create a tasty dish. The whole wheat for example, I purchased it from an old villager woman. It cost me less than a dollar per kilo. Onions, garlic, they're always in our pantry right? So all we need is to buy celery, red and green peppers, to make this dish. Whole wheat needs to be soaked in water for at least 4-5 hours.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-31826101726395049442007-09-22T20:45:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:11.699+02:00

Blacksea Region of Turkey has a rich culinary history. They use simple ingredients. Simple and seasonal. They use whatever they grow, whatever is available. Mostly corn, beans, kale, wild greens, wild mushrooms and fish, of course homemade butter and cheese as well. The recipe you see here is called 'dible'. It's mostly done with green beans but kale and other greens could be used instead. The

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-69694193893977285732007-09-01T20:49:00.001+03:002008-12-09T03:44:11.807+02:00

I'm at a far far land.This land, almost at the end of the world.There is a green green garden,full of plum trees.Yellow, green, red, purple, small, large, round, long...They make plum jam with them.That's it. And they eat.When the winter comes,they add water to some of it.It becomes a soupy sweet, to eat with pastries and pastalike dishes.And when they pick more when they need,they exchange them

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-185671340640717612007-08-23T22:25:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:11.950+02:00

Have you ever fallen in love with a certain type of cheese? Stupid isn't it? Silly... But no. You may. It only takes few moments. You go to a far, far city.It's called Kars. Then you go to a far, far village. In that village,there is this guy with blue eyes. A tall guy with a beard. He makes gruyercheese as his family have been making for almost 100 years. The big, bigrounds of gruyer

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-28849057825026181882007-08-19T16:30:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:12.075+02:00

Breakfast is the favorite meal for so many Turks. We love colorful breakfast tables. This simple, yet colorful item is called 'simit pizza', which can be served for breakfast. Simit is kind of a round bread with sesames which is sold on the streets of almost all Turkish cities. To prepare this recipe, you need 'fat' simits. You cut them in three or four pieces, then make deep cuts from the inside

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-65871755489725276972007-08-08T11:56:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:12.337+02:00

This is a sweet bread. Not because they add sugar or any kind of sweetner but it's because they use a traditional yeast, made of chickpeas. Yes, chickpeas. Surprised? Chickpeas are crushed and left in water for the evening, at a warm place. It becomes bubbly, then the water is used as a leavening agent. You're surprised? Yes, there are so many things that surprise us, when we go deeper in the

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-20663799189903077992007-08-04T16:17:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:12.587+02:00

Make a wish.Not for yourself only.Not for your parents,For your children,For the loved ones only.Make a wish.Then tie it on a tree,On the lonely tree of the savannah,The pine on the hill of the island,The mimosa, although it's not blossoming this season.Tie it.Then blow it,So that it can fly to freedom,So it can reach where it belongs to.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-35613231532699930652007-08-02T20:58:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:12.752+02:00

They sometimes,Fly with the wind.Sometimes.Sometimes they break the wind,with their wings.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-16476454631752678732007-07-30T12:40:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:12.916+02:00

First figs of the season.From our farmers' market.From the lovely old woman I called "rose faced aunty".Not because her face looks like a rose.It's a saying in Turkish.When we like someone,we say "rose faced."Her face is angellike.Pure.Naive.*First figs of the season.One kilo costs 2 Turkish lira. Which means 1.2 euro or 1.5 USD.I love figs.What should I do with them?I love figs.I love to eat

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-80036875983972928822007-07-20T20:09:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:13.127+02:00

I can swear there is a bird in this flowerOh, perfect daughter of the mother earth,Bring news from my beloved friend.Is he content?Is there joy in his heart?

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-49237332660488475932007-07-18T00:26:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:13.369+02:00

Green.Vibrant.Mouth watering.Just rocket and alfalfa sprouts.I know eating themwill bring health.And joy.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-51679765354865540452007-06-16T22:23:00.001+03:002008-12-09T03:44:13.721+02:00

It's summer time. Working people are planning for their holidays. Ayvalik is in so many people's list, because of it's waters, food, history... Ayvalik market is a must to see. The weekly farmers' market. This is one of my favorite sweets, special to Ayvalik. It's called 'lor tatlisi', sweets made with ricotta style Turkish 'lor' cheese. Güler Pastanesi is the place to have them,

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-25301225170751587342007-06-12T18:30:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:13.843+02:00

I celebratethe new life,the new ageof a dear onewith this blossomopening to a new lifeunseenunpredictedunexpectedyet has been longed for.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-38226683141366698042007-06-08T17:19:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:14.094+02:00

I love simple meals. I love using seasonal ingredients. Moreover, I love using ingredients from my own garden. The garden is small. Very small. And I can only take care of it in summer but it still is a world in itself with two trees, tomato and peppers, greens and some flowers, including few roses. Not a well planned garden since it was there, with a big apricot tree in the middle, when we

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-88765700505215165462007-06-06T16:21:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:14.218+02:00

Especially in winters and if someone at home is coughing, linden tea is the cure. The usual Turkish way is to (now I know it is not right to boil the flowers. Adding hot water on the flowers or herbs and letting them wait for few minutes is better) boil the linden flowers in water. What we do is to reheat it several times, which again, is not good for the healing properties of this

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-90752925979846821862007-05-29T13:48:00.000+03:002008-12-09T03:44:14.541+02:00

This morning, I went to my favorite place in Antalya. It is a simple pastry shop, which is open between 7-12 in the morning. Tevfik Usta, or Master Tevfik, has been making this Antalya specialty for over 40 years. He has two kinds of 'serpme börek' as said in Antalya, one with a ground meat filling, other with cheese filling. But you may have the cheese börek -which he makes with unsalted

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-19491947542965810952007-05-25T12:50:00.002+03:002008-12-09T03:44:14.982+02:00

Would you vote for Zen in the Kitchen at the www.bloggerschoiceawards.com website for the best food blog and best blog of all time categories? You can see the link on the right.This simple, spring meal is a gift to a dear friend, who makes me so happy with his friendship, who brings meaning to my life by sharing insights, smiling and thoughtful moments. So I cooked this little vegetarian meal

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1176430048297243882007-04-13T05:00:00.000+03:002007-04-13T15:25:34.260+03:00

2nd Street Cafe is in Brooklyn, on 7th Avenue. There are drawing papers on the tables. They bring you color pencils, so that you can draw while you're waiting for your order. Than what happens? They glue all of them on the ceiling. So you can see all the artwork if you look up. These three selections were eaten by different people. I just took the photos. My choice was the omelette with house

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1175530929024470012007-04-02T19:16:00.000+03:002007-04-04T02:59:40.603+03:00

I love going to Union Square Farmers Market in New York. It's every monday, wednesday, friday and saturday and very colorfol. It's spring time so seeing daffodils, muscaris and all other spring flowers should not suprrise you. And yes, it is also time for Easter. You can see the colors of Easter at the gift packs that are prepared by the jam makers who sell their jams at the market for many years

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1175083394678832832007-03-28T15:55:00.000+03:002007-04-11T21:32:52.136+03:00

A warm welcome from the other side of the ocean. A warm, quiet spring day. Magnolias are about to blossom. Daffodils and other spring flowers are smiling everywhere.I'm happy to be here. A welcome treat for myself: tempura, miso soup, a little plate of shumai and California roll, green salad, brown rice and lots of genmai cha, Japanese green tea with roasted rice. All is $8.56. I say it, a warm

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1173701544980937112007-03-12T15:10:00.000+02:002007-03-28T15:55:12.000+03:00

For a dearest friend, who knocked on my door, after all those years, to remind how important breathing is!

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1171741248137107162007-02-17T21:35:00.000+02:002007-03-19T18:48:00.033+02:00

This oliveoil photo was taken in Sirince which is a small, beautiful town 9 km from Selçuk. Selçuk is the home town for Ephesus, if you've visited or have heard. It was one of the first days of 2007 and this was a virgin olive oil just pressed (cold) at an old, traditional (more or less) factory. You can imagine how great it was to have it for breakfast. What else was there for breakfast?

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1165349707058930302006-12-05T22:05:00.000+02:002007-03-29T08:09:07.150+03:00

Last week, I was at an olive harvest festival. I shouldn't call it a festival may be. It was more of a press tour which is organized by Verde Olive Oil Company for their 10th anniversary. There were journalists, food writers, tv producers... We were in Izmir, the weather was perfect, olive trees were dramatic (as always!) and the food was delicious. Yes we definitely fell in love with the 'just

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1157719979437827482006-09-08T15:24:00.000+03:002006-09-09T16:11:32.620+03:00

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

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1156598800645405432006-08-26T16:11:00.000+03:002006-08-26T16:26:42.380+03:00

It's been almost four months since I've last written to this blog. Not that I was away from my computer but because I had so much writings to do. I kept writing to my Turkish blog though since it's so much easier to write in your own language. Yes this post won't be a long one but I want to share few photos from Burhaniye Farmer's Market which is one of the joys of life here in the Ida Mountain

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1145608638684688332006-04-21T11:29:00.000+03:002006-04-21T11:37:18.696+03:00

These are the children of the world. Every year, they gather in Turkey to celebrate their day: April 23st Children’s Day. It was Atatürk’s idea, the founder of Turkey, to celebrate a day for kids. They are our future. They will live in this world when we’re gone. And we are responsible for them. We need to leave a better world for them to live better. Not wars, not famines, not hunger. They

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1141809399882167722006-03-08T11:02:00.000+02:002007-04-12T10:00:51.880+03:00

This morning, I got up early. Even if it wasn’t cold outside, I decided to stay in bed and share the joy of birds. I decided if I stay in bed and keep quiet, I wouldn’t disturb their morning ritual.Then I heard a voice coming from far away: “simitçiiiiiii”. It was the voice of our neighborhood’s early bird. The ‘simit seller’. He’s one of the few simitçi’s who pass from our street every morning.

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1140787991975737632006-02-24T15:17:00.000+02:002006-02-24T15:33:12.063+02:00

Today is the second day of EMITT Tourism Fair in Istanbul. I was lucky to be there yesterday, on its first day. This is my favorite fair (although I don't like fairs, I try not to miss this one) because that's the place where you can see many tastes, colours and people from so many different regions. The western, eastern, southern, northern... Anatolia is a place where you can experience

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1138465371351756242006-01-28T18:13:00.000+02:002007-04-07T02:59:25.416+03:00

I once wrote an article called 'Onion to your left and garlic to your right'whichwas published in a book. In Turkey, some people cannot differ left and right easily. Left is 'sol' and right is 'sag' in Turkish. Onion is 'sogan' and garlic is 'sarimsak' so we say, 'soluna sogan, sagina sarimsak' to remember it easily. (I hope this doesn't sound unnecessary information to you but I find it funny

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1137005898650476212006-01-11T20:53:00.000+02:002007-04-16T11:08:42.230+03:00

Istanbul is a place to be, when it comes to tasting special food from different regions of the country. Not only regional tastes but also the international tastes can be easily found. Do you want to eat Mongolian? You can find it. Japanese? Sure. Chinese? Ooo, so many restaurants! Brazilian, Austrian, Spanish, Korean, Italian... We can look into the international tastes later but today I want to

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1136725217578514632006-01-08T13:00:00.000+02:002006-01-10T15:18:19.783+02:00

Here is the cover of my new book: 'A Meal for Each Day' My publisher, Yapi Kredi Yayincilik (http://www.ykykultur.com.tr) started a series of '... for each day' series few years ago. First books of the series are for stories, lullabies, kid's games. 'A Meal for Each Day' is pretty much the first book for adults. This book includes 366 meals (including soups, desserts, salads, breads, jams etc)

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1136648603944341082006-01-07T17:35:00.000+02:002006-01-10T15:21:14.206+02:00

Here is the second post for my English site. I decided to use that picture since I wanted to show the beauties of Istanbul while I’m telling about the tasty stuff from the city. Kiz Kulesi (Maiden's Tower) is one of the monuments that you see when you cross the Bosphorus by boat. I took this picture yesterday while I was on the boat from Besiktas to Kadikoy. The goal was to visit a wonderful

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20631145.post-1136583048274177912006-01-06T23:17:00.000+02:002006-01-06T23:30:48.286+02:00

Researcher and writer on food, food culture, healthy eating and all related issues. Related issues include; folklore, botany, ethnography, customs and so on. Six published books, unfortunately all in Turkish. Translated 4 books from English to Turkish. Have been writing for newspapers and magazines on food and the related issues as mentioned above. Contact me if you need any info. on Turkey,

Tijenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02781681158932993611noreply@blogger.com5