Istanbul, Turkey

I recently had the opportunity to visit Istanbul and was blown away by the delicious and diverse food that the city had to offer.

One of my favorite meals was at a traditional Turkish restaurant where I had the chance to try various mezze, or small plates. These included dishes such as hummus, baba ghanoush, and dolma (stuffed grape leaves). The flavors were incredibly fresh and each dish had its own unique taste. I also couldn’t resist trying the delicious Turkish bread, which was perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Another highlight of my trip was visiting a street vendor who was making freshly made gozleme. Gozleme is a type of savory Turkish pastry filled with a variety of ingredients such as spinach and feta cheese. It was so delicious that I went back to the vendor to try a few different flavors.

I also had the chance to try some traditional Turkish sweets such as baklava and lokum (Turkish Delight). Both were incredibly sweet and decadent, and the perfect way to end a meal.

One of the things that made the food in Istanbul so special was learning about how many of the dishes were made. For example, I had the opportunity to watch as a street vendor made gozleme. He would start by rolling out a thin layer of dough and then adding various fillings such as spinach and feta cheese. He would then fold the dough over to create a pocket and cook it on a griddle until it was crispy and golden brown. It was fascinating to see how quickly and skillfully he was able to make these delicious pastries.

I also had the chance to learn about the traditional method of making Turkish Delight. The vendor explained that the process starts by making a syrup from sugar, water, and various flavorings such as rosewater or lemon. They then add a thickening agent such as corn starch and cook the mixture until it forms a gel. The gel is then cut into small squares and dusted with powdered sugar. The texture and flavor of the Turkish Delight was unlike any other sweet I had tried before, it was chewy, delicious and flavorful.

Overall, the food in Istanbul was not only delicious, but also deeply rooted in tradition and history. It was a true pleasure to learn about the techniques and methods used to make these delicious dishes and it made my experience all the more special.

This is one place I’d love to visit again soon!