Turkish Cuisine : Cafe Fernando – Food Blog

A few weeks ago, Matt Gross of The New York Times asked me THE question: "If it was your last meal, what would you eat in İstanbul?" I didn't need to think twice.

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Whenever I hear the word Ramadan, I immediately think of Güllaç. It is a traditional Turkish dessert that dates back to the Ottoman Empire. I've read somewhere that it was also a part of the circumcision ceremony menu for Sultan Süleyman, The Magnificient's sons'. This milk based dessert is prepared with Güllaç leaves, which are basically starch wafers that are made of corn starch, flour and water.

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I confess. I used to hate Bodrum. Yes, I hated the city synonymous with perfect summer weather and magnificent coves. It was before The White Mansion with the cheerful cook existed.

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I couldn't help but eat half of this gelato before it even had a chance to freeze and went to heaven. The hazelnut heaven. What makes you choose a recipe to try the first time you open a cookbook? An enticing photo? A favorite ingredient used in the recipe? Raves you read on food blogs? All of the above? For me, it is sometimes the technique that is used. ...

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Börek is a traditional Turkish layered dough dish, generally filled with cheese, ground meat or vegetables. The most popular fillings are feta cheese, spinach, potatoes and ground meat flavored with a variety of herbs and spices. The dough, called yufka in Turkish, is quite labor-intensive. Not many Turkish households attempt to prepare it themselves. They are sold in 3-5 sheet packs in supermarkets here. Yufka is essential for ...

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