Spring is here!

April 24th, 2007  | Category: Meat, Chicken & Seafood, Ralph & The Mansion

Yes, it is officially Spring in Istanbul. We had an amazing day at the Mansion on Saturday.

Mansion spring

When I arrived there just after noon, the table was already set and the BBQ was ready with blazing flames. We grilled these mini meat patties and lamb chops and started eating.

Mansion spring

Mansion spring

Fresh purslane salad and potato börek were side dishes…

Mansion spring

We saved the best for last: Quince dessert served with fresh clotted cream. It is a traditional Turkish dessert. I must try it at home and post the recipe someday. It is an amazing dessert.

Mansion spring pear dessert

Mansion spring

This was just lunch. But I said earlier, at the Mansion, we eat until we drop.

We had hamburgers for dinner. But not just any hamburger. The hamburger patties as well as the buns are from a butcher called Dükkan. Brothers Emre and Bulent Mermer have been stockfarming and selling their products to 5-star hotels and prestigious restaurants since 1998. In 2004, they decided to take their business to a next level and opened Dükkan. I have never been to their store but heard raving reviews from lots of people. And having tasted their burger patties, it looks like I will be visiting the store quite often.

Mansion Spring

Avocado, bacon and grilled onions were condiments.

Mansion spring hamburger bun bacon

Mansion Spring

Mansion spring hamburger

Ralph was - as always - strategically placed under the table to catch the accidental (and some intentional) food drops.

Mansion Spring

Sinan was shocked to see that we ate all of this in one day…

Mansion Spring

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Comments

  1. Dolly on April 24th, 2007

    Is that pear or quince? Please don’t say quince! I haven’t had a proper poached quince dessert for years!

  2. Cenk on April 24th, 2007

    Correction - Quince. I honestly felt sad for you Dolly! I promise to post the recipe soon.

  3. Rosa on April 25th, 2007

    All that food made me hungry! It looks as if you had a great day..

  4. Melek on April 25th, 2007

    Merhaba Cenk,

    Birkaç aydır Amerikadaydım, bir döndüm, gözlerime inanamadım. Ne güzel ÅŸeyler yapmışsın ben takip etmeyeli. Harvey Nichols’u okudum, çok sevindim. Kutlarım. İnÅŸallah en yakın zamanda seni orada ziyaret ederim. Tekrar tekrar tebrikler.

    Melek Yağcı

  5. Cenk on April 25th, 2007

    Merhaba Melek,
    Hoş geldin. Harvey Nichols için maalesef biraz geç kaldın. 3 ay boyunca orası için çalıştım sonra bıraktım. Tam zamanlı bir işim olduğu için vakit ayıramaz oldum. Sanırım yazmak ve fotoğraf çekmek benim için şu sıralar daha uygun!

  6. Melek on April 25th, 2007

    Oppsss!! Hayat çok hızlı değişiyor. Bilirim nasıl vakit ve enerji alır bu işler.
    Neyse önemli olan yazıları ve güzel fotoğrafları bırakmaman :)

    Sevgiler,

    Melek

  7. valentina on May 2nd, 2007

    Isn’t spring just wonderful?! I love it!! and you seem to have had a grand celebration.Fabulous!!! I will visit Istanbul this year.Hooray!!

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