Food is the best way into Turkey’s culture

By MiNDFOOD

Food is the best way into Turkey’s culture
A hospitable, insider's trip through Turkey's delights

There is no better way to reveal a country’s culture than through the local traditions of its people and, of course, its food. Get a taste of Turkish culture directly from the ladies who live in the small village of Demircidere.

Opening their doors exclusively to Trafalgar guests, the women invite you inside their family homes to share their love of traditional Turkish cuisines and culture in an unforgettable Be My Guest experience. Sitting around the table, you’ll be inspired by the remarkable persona these women share as they interact with you through their native language.

Demircidere village is located in the Aydin Province of Turkey’s North West region and enjoys an equal status in community relations. All work is done commonly by both sexes, together working in their own vineyards and olive groves, and the women also work in other villages’ farms as daily workers.

Demircidere is located just across the border from the province of Balikesir with the natural distribution area of Stone Pine ending at the village boundary, and with Pinus Brutia forests starting just beyond.

One of the most important sources of income in the village is the cultivation of grapes which are used to make wine, jam and raisins.

Upon arrival you will meet the ladies of the village dressed in traditional attire. They will welcome you with a walk through the streets of the village before breaking off into small groups (usually 4-5 people) where they will invited you inside one of their homes for a Be My Guest lunch.

Here, you’ll taste traditional Turkish cooking and sample the village’s local wine, Shrap (Sha-rap). They will also share with you photos of their family and introduce you to family members who may be home at the time.

Simple peasant Turkish food is the best way to get a sense of the hospitable culture:


·        Tarhana soup (the traditional probiotic soup)

·        home-made yoghurt

·        börek – pastry with potatoes

·        dolma – stuffed grape leaves

·        the screaming eggplant cıgırtma

·        olives

·        local desert

·        shrap – home-made wine

It’s insider moments you’ll enjoy like these; smelling the homely aroma of flour, which dusts the rustic table and clings to your fingers as you learn how to make traditional bread with locals in the little village of Demircidere.

Call 1300 113 213 or head online to trafalgar.com for more information.

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