Category: Family Travel

The tremendous land of Turkey is famous for its wide variety of heritage cuisines like Ottoman cuisine, Turkish vegetarian cuisine and Seljuk cuisine. A lot of fusion and innovation happened way back 500 – 600 years. Their landscape is rich in flora and fauna. They have abundant healthy herbs and fruits. Corn comes from the Eastern region of the landscape, whereas Olives are from the Aegean islands. The Southeastern Anatolian region is known for its Kebabs and Thrace for Pastries. More than 30 varieties of eggplants grow throughout the region. Undoubtedly, Turkey is a destination for food. This article from Thrillark explains the heritage Turkish cuisine in detail, the special foods of Turks, some spellbound facts on their kitchen setup, the 500-year-old guidelines followed and lots more. What will Turkish cuisine contain? People of Turkey love their meals very much and always prefer to consume a balanced and healthy diet. The olden classic Turkish palace kitchens used fresh ingredients rather than preserved or seasoned ingredients. Consuming a healthy diet became a habit during the 13th century. Sultans of the medieval period only allowed two meals per day. Hence, they wanted healthy and balanced food to gain energy. These preferences are followed even today in most parts of the region. From mouthwatering Baklava to Kebabs, most Turkish dishes are made out of Olive oil. These virgin Olive oils give an additional flavor to their food. Most Turks are vegetarians, and most of their delectable dishes contain the following ingredients; Beans Lentils Chickpeas Onions Tomatoes Potatoes Zucchini Eggplants Cabbage Carrot Spinach Cauliflower Pastry dishes Yoghurt Rice Bell peppers Okra Marshmallow Herbs Plums Apricots Pomegranates Pears Apples Grapes Mulberry Turks prefer dried seedless currants in almost all their dishes. Cheese is one of the significant ingredients of all their breakfast. Apart from these, Pickles made from all kinds of vegetables are another popular food item the Turks love and prefer. Top 13 Quintessential Turkish Foods Baklava This Turkish dish is considered the Queen of Turkish Desserts. Turkey’s desserts fall into one of three categories: Syrup-based, milk-based, or fruit-based. This Baklava is a Syrup-based dessert. It is an oven-baked dessert pastry made using filo dough, nutritious chopped nut varieties and Sugar syrup. It is considered precious because, until 1990, baklava was a celebration dessert. Turks serve this only during Ramadan and feast. Kuru Baklava, the dry Baklava, is known for its longer shelf life.   Borek Borek is an everyday Turkish Savory Pastry Dish. It is the staple food of the high plateaus of central Anatolia. They are served hot as well as cold. They have various varieties of Borek like Cigarette borek, Long borek, Water borek, Tray borek and lots more.   Piyaz Popularly known as Fasulye Piyazi. It means a dish with Beans and Onions. With Beans as its secret and predominant ingredient, Piyaz salads are a chart-topping dish in Turkey.   Dolma Dolma means Stuffing. The well-renowned Turkish cuisine is famous for its cold vegetable dish, the Dolma. Most of these dishes are stuffed, without meat. Twenty-four different varieties of Dolma are available across Turkish cuisine.   Chicken Shish Kebab The Chicken Shish Kabobs from the Mediterranean region are famous for their tender and juicy taste. The cube-sized Chicken breasts are marinated overnight by combining classic Middle Eastern and regular spices. This dish plays a crucial role in Lebanese-style barbecues.   Turkish Coffee Turkish coffee made of fine granules of roasted coffee beans is usually served in porcelain cups. Ideally, Kahve (The Turkish Coffee) is served after every meal or with dessert. It is called the Coffee Ritual in Turkey.   Turkish Tea Turks love brewed tea a lot. They serve tea to all their guests and all their business customers.   Lahmacun According to a few Ottoman explorers of the 17th and 18th centuries, Lahmacun takes its name from the Arabic word. It’s a pastry made using meat and low-fat mince mixed with tomato and garlic paste. It is the classic Ottoman-period Pizza. It is a 300-year-old dish and the most favourite lunchtime snack.   Yatsilik Yatsilik is a meal consumed after dinner. A plate of Yatsilik will contain seasonal fresh fruits, dry nuts and black tea.   Meatballs It is one of the most popular menus of the Turks. It is a National delight iconic dish. More than 100 different varieties of this dish are available throughout the region.    Gozleme It is a popular street food in Turkey, served in all tourist attractions. It is also known as the Turkish Pancake.   Durum Wraps It is a Turkish wrap filled with kebabs. It is one of the best-selling street foods. Ayran Ayran is the yoghurt drink of Turkey. It is the most consumed and favourite drink of Turks. Apart from these, we can find plenty of ice cream varieties. People of Kahramanmaras consume a particular variety of ice cream with a knife, fork or stick.   There is no shortage of delicious, Yummy and Appetizing food varieties on the streets of the bustling cities of Turkey. An interesting fact is that most of the dishes are served cold and hot as well. Not only vegetarian and chicken kebabs are famous in Turkey, but Turks prefer Offal dishes to regular meat. In fact, the Offal dishes are far cheaper than the meat. Turkey also has fresh seafood. In fact, the availability of fresh seafood is plentiful. Since seafood is costly, Turks treat it as an infrequent dish. Spellbound Facts of Turks and Turkish Kitchen Turks value the dishes prepared, the Kitchens, the dining place and all food-related things. The ancient kitchens from where such beautiful dishes originated have some spellbound facts. Here are a few interesting facts from Thrillark. Asevi and Asdami are the names of the traditional places where Turks prepared their delicious food. Tandir, Ocak or Ocaklik is the name of the place where their bread and pastries get cooked. The traditional empires prepared their Luscious dishes using Tandir and Kuzine. Turks use Rust Proof Steel,

Who doesn’t love Turkish ice cream? Everyone does, right? As we all know, Dubai is a special place for its cultural cuisines. One among those is Turkish ice cream! The playful and engaging manner of serving Turkish ice cream has turned it into somewhat of a tourist attraction. Visitors often seek out these ice cream shops not just for the taste but also for the entertainment value. Dubai prides itself on offering a wide range of international cuisines. Turkish ice cream has found its place among these diverse offerings, contributing to the city’s culinary richness. If you are in Dubai and are looking for some amazing places to explore Turkish ice creams, this blog is for you! Top 10 Places to Experience Authentic Turkish Ice Cream in Dubai: 1.   Mado One of the popular destinations for experiencing Turkish ice cream in Dubai is the Mado. This place is quite famous due to so many factors: Quality: Mado is an excellent spot for high-quality ice creams with rich and unique taste. The ingredients used here make the taste even more yummier! Recipe: The recipe used here is often traditional and has been used since the beginning. The locals and tourists have always been fans of this traditional recipe in Mado. The authentic taste is top-notch! The flavors: Flavors also play a major role in making the place quite popular. In Mado, you will find a variety of flavors in both classic and innovative ways, making customers crowd in front of the shop. Customer service is the priority! One reason Mado is popular in its own way is that the servers entertain and get along with the customers well. Brands all around: Mado has a considerable fan base worldwide. Yes! Mado is not just in Turkey but also spotted internationally, making it easier for people to access. 2. Simit Sarayı Presentation: Simit Sarayı is known for various reasons, mainly the presentation and styling skills. The servers entertain customers with many tricks while serving the ice cream, giving the customers a memorable and interactive experience. Quality and variety: Simit Sarayı always provides high-quality ice creams and has a lot of flavours for people to choose from. Complementing menu: Simit Sarayı’s complementing menu offers a wide range of menu items, such as simit, pastries, and other delicacies that accompany Turkish ice cream. 3. Karaköy Güllüoğlu Traditional recipe and preparation: Karaköy Güllüoğlu is also known for the traditional preparation methods. The recipe used in Karaköy Güllüoğlu is a traditional one that people love! Location and ambience: Karaköy Güllüoğlu has many outlets in and around the country. In peak areas and tourist-friendly spots, Karaköy Güllüoğlu will be there! This might be their strategy for attracting people, but it is also a great customer advantage. 4. Bakdash Traditional recipe: Bakdash’s Turkish ice cream stands out for its unique conventional recipe. This spot has been a go-to for so many locals and tourists for the recipe itself! Texture: The Bakdash Turkish ice cream is chewier and thicker, making it more likeable for people. The salep ingredient makes the texture like this, becoming people’s favourite. Cultural significance: Bakdash is a common attraction for both locals and tourists. One of the main reasons why people are crowded in Bakdash is that the place itself has a history that speaks for itself. 5. Saray Sultan Location: Saray Sultan is famous for its location. The outlets are one of the main reasons for its growing popularity. The pleasant atmosphere and the cosy seating in Saray Sultan are just unique! Anyone who visits this place will like it! Word of mouth: Saray Sultan has been building its respiration for a better future over the years. The review, feedback and word-of-mouth strategies have brought Saray Sultan to a more incredible place in the food industry and people’s hearts. Tradition: Saray Sultan aims at the traditional recipes, attracting people to the dishes. 6. Hafız Mustafa 1864 Hafız Mustafa 1864 is another famous spot in Dubai, known for its delicious Turkish ice creams. Authenticity: Hafız Mustafa 1864 aims to provide people with high-quality ice creams. Their authentic taste makes people return to Hafız Mustafa 1864! Quality: Hafız Mustafa 1864 serves traditional texture ice creams with the best quality. Presentation: Hafız Mustafa 1864, apart from its tastes, is well-known for its presentation styles and customer engagements. Their entertaining way of serving ice cream, like the stretchy presentation when the vendor plays tricks on the customer while giving the ice cream, makes people enjoy the experience. Heritage: The history of Hafız Mustafa began in 1864. Since then, history has continued to showcase the best Turkish ice creams. 7. Sultan Baba Iskender Sultan Baba Iskender is quite famous for its authentic Turkish ice cream. Unique Texture: Sultan Baba Iskender has its reasons for being famous. Their unique ice cream textures are one among those! Their ice creams are made of Salep. Salep is made from wild orchid roots, making the texture of the ice cream look and taste delicious. Ingredients: Fresh milk and other traditional flavours, like fruit syrups, add to the taste of Turkish ice cream. The quality of ice cream in Sultan Baba Iskender makes people fall in love with the place! Tourist attraction: Sultan Baba Iskender is not only a favourite spot for locals but also a tourist attraction for foreign tourists. The vendors here always carry out a performance, entertaining people around. The vendor flips and twirls the ice cream, aiming to entertain people. 8. Hurrem’s Turkish Ice Cream Consistency: Consistency is the key to success, especially in the food industry. Hurrem is known for its consistent taste in Turkish ice cream. Customers believe in Hurrem for its amazing service and consistent taste. Flavours: Hurrem is a popular Turkish ice cream spot for many reasons, one of which is the various flavours. The traditional flavour options are an advantage to both customers and Hurrem. Authentic way to attract people: Hurrem is famous for its authentic taste of Turkish ice creams. Ingredients like salep and mastic