Turkish Delight
I fell in love with Turkish Delight, known locally as lokum, that was once considered an after-dinner digestive in the Ottoman days and is a favourite with locals and tourists alike. Pyramids of white sugar-dusted lokum piled high on silver trays tempt all who wander through Istanbul’s noisy, colourful Spice Bazaar and the busy and boisterous Grand Bazaar that dates back to 1455 and can attract up to 400,000 people daily.
It’s impossible not to taste test the gem-coloured sweets, some studded with pistachios and walnuts and only the diehard can resist a purchase. There’s much competition among lokum vendors, who all claim their recipe is a family secret handed down through the generations. “Try this, you won’t get better!” one seller yells, sparking a confectionary war of words. Another shrieks: “No, mine is definitely the best.” It’s good fun and I end up with far too much to bring back home, beautifully boxed and sealed.
Spices
Stepping into the Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, is all about sensory overload. The heady aromas of brightly coloured spices are almost overwhelming as you pass stalls selling apple tea, China flower tea and Russian caviar. You will also find fine linen, beautiful striped hammam wraps, perfumed soaps, pretty ceramics, woven rugs, cushions and souvenirs.
Mezze
Mezze are at the centre of Turkish cuisine and are served as appetisers in restaurants. Favourites include chilli tomato paste known as ezme, mint yogurt dip or haydari, grilled eggplant salad known as patlıcan salatası, fava bean mash and artichoke dip. Mezze go well with the popular rakı, an unsweetened, anise-flavoured alcoholic drink that can take your breath away. Ayran is a savoury plain yoghurt- based drink that is another acquired taste.
Doner Kebab
Doner kebab (meaning ‘rotating grilled meat’) stars in Istanbul – there seems to be a doner kebab café on almost every corner. Layers of deboned lamb, beef or chicken are slowly cooked on a vertical rotisserie, sliced thinly with a special knife and wrapped in a flatbread served with tomato, onion with sumac, pickled cucumber and chili.
Fish
Some of the best fish we tasted was at Galata Bridge, at the entrance of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus, where Turkish anglers try their luck. There are so many fishing rods, it’s a wonder they don’t all get tangled. Tasty fish sandwiches cooked on traditional boats at the nearby quay can be ordered with cold beers which are delivered in a bucket. Locals and tourists sit at small tables enjoying the fresh fish as a golden glow sets on the Bosporus.
Street Food
Street vendors are creative when it comes to arranging fresh fruit. Ruby-red watermelon, bags of bright red cherries, barbecued sweet corn and carts stacked with simit, a ring of flaky bread topped with sesame seeds and baked a golden brown, are impossible to resist. Simit is usually enjoyed with Turkish tea known as çay that is served in small ornate tulip-shaped glasses. You see çay being delivered by tea servers to shop owners and workers who often pay a monthly rate to have their welcome beverage delivered hot.
Bread
The Turks love fresh bread served with every meal and you are never far from a bakery. A wide variety of flatbreads or lavaş, including ones that are puffed up like balloons, are often displayed at the front of restaurants. The balloon breads are broken up and are great for scooping up mezze and mopping up sauces. Pide is canoe- shaped bread served with different toppings such as spiced minced lamb, cheese and tomato, grilled bell peppers and the traditional lahmacun which is like a pizza base. Baklava lovers are well taken care of in this city with lots of the sugar-drenched treats in many shops.
Ice Cream
You can’t leave Istanbul without buying a Turkish ice cream and having fun with cheeky ice-cream sellers wearing traditional garb in busy tourist areas. They put on a show with a great flourish twisting and turning the ice cream on a long rod and making it difficult to grab. The Maraş dondurma ice cream that originated from the province of Kahramanmaraş is known for its elasticity – it’s well worth the fun and games to purchase it.
