An Introduction to Turkish
Cuisine
"Do not dismiss the dish saying
that it is just simply food. The blessed thing is an entire civilization
in itself
Abdülhak Sinasi
For
those who travel to engage in culinary pursuits, the Turkish Cuisine is
worthy of exploration. The variety of dishes that make up the cuisine,
the ways they all come together in feast-like meals, and the evident intricacy
of each craft involved offer enough material for life-long study and enjoyment.
It is not easy to discern a basic element or a single dominant feature,
like the Italian "pasta" or the French "sauce". Whether in a humble home,
at a famous restaurant, or at dinner in a Bey's mansion, familiar patterns
of this rich and diverse cuisine are always present. It is a rare art which
satisfies the senses while reconfirming the higher order of society, community
and culture. A practically-minded child watching Mother cook "cabbage dolma"
on a lazy, grey winter day is bound to wonder: "Who on earth discovered
this peculiar combination of sautéed rice, pine-nuts, currants,
spices, herbs and all tightly wrapped in translucent leaves of cabbage,
each roll exactly half an inch thick and stacked up on an oval serving,
plate decorated with lemon wedges? How was it possible to transform this
humble vegetable to such heights of fashion and delicacy with so few additional
ingredients? And, how can such a yummy dish also possibly be good for you?"
The modern mind, in a moment of contemplation, has similar thoughts upon
entering a modest sweets shop where "baklava" is the generic cousin of
a dozen or so sophisticated sweet pastries with names like: twisted turban,
sultan, saray (palace), lady's navel, nightingale's nest... The same experience
awaits you at a muhallebici" (pudding shop) with a dozen different types
of milk puddings. One can only conclude that the evolution of this glorious
cuisine was not an accident, but rather, as with the other grand cuisine
of the world, it was a result of the combination of three key elements.
A nurturing environment is irreplaceable.
Turkey is known for an abundance and diversity of foodstuff due to its
rich flora, fauna and regional differentiation. Secondly, the legacy of
an Imperial Kitchen is inescapable. Hundreds of cooks, all specializing
in different types of dishes, and all eager to please the royal palate,
no doubt had their influence in perfecting the cuisine as we know it today.
The Palace Kitchen, supported by a complex social organization, a vibrant
urban life, specialization of labor, worldwide trade, and total control
of the Spice Road, all reflected the culmination of wealth and the flourishing
of culture in the capital of a mighty Empire. Finally, the longevity of
social organization should not be taken lightly either. The Turkish State
of Anatolia is a millenium old and so, naturally, is its cuisine.
