Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
30th May.
Was up early, not sure why as I am doing a walking food tour today which doesn't start till 930am and we have breakfast on that so don't need to have the hotel breakfast. Left the hotel a bit to early to walk to the meeting point and was there in about 5 mins so had so time to sit in the morning sun and watch people starting there day. The shoe men, who are busy setting up there stands ready to polish the footwear of Istanbul's men mostly I think. They have not only polishing services but repairs also.
The office workers arriving via the metro and ferry wait patiently for the doors to open at the bank and government offices.
Deliver driver everywhere dropping off the good for the day. Large bags of bread rolls, boxes of this and that with the occasional rolled carpet on the move also.
Early tourists out and about. I have learnt no point getting a too early a start with the tourists sites most don't open to 9 or even 10am.
Wandered around to the meeting point of the Istanbul eats walking tour of the old city in front of the spice bazaar and managed to find other people on the tour before we food the leader. Was six of us on the tour and we had Greek guy as our leader but he has lived in Istanbul for a while. We starting walking and talking along.
First stop was what I had been calling a bagel cart. These are men that have a street cart filled with simits ( a circle bread covered in sesame seeds) and roate ( a sweet bread). Brought a couple of those to form the start of out breakfast spread. Walked around the deli on the outside of the market. Less tourists and more locals outside of the main market buildings. At the deli we tried and brought different olives. I even tired the stuffed olives with peppers and citrus inside and they weren't to bad. Next cheese shop with two main breakfasts cheese a white cheese ( beyaz peynir) which is a bit like feta only richer and thicker made from cow milk and salted and better tasting than any feta I have ever eaten. We also brought tel peynir ( a string cheese light yellow colour made from skim milk). Walked along and brought some pastrami made from beef and lamb mix as pork meat isn't really eaten in turkey. Next came to another street cart that was selling all inclusive breakfast sandwich. From him we brought a plate with kaymak dizzled in honey. It is a delicious Clotted cream type food. Even with the honey on it was still so tasty. Walked down a slightly alley and found a coffe and tea place were we got a table covered it with newspaper and sat down the enjoying a cay( tea) and our breakfast spread. The clotted cream with the sweet bread was just amazing together. The feta like cheese so tasty with the sesame bread. All yum had to be careful to try not to eat to much as we still have a whole day to go.
After breakfast we walked along to a baklava shop. Turkish baklava is made with sugar syrup no honey and mostly with pistachios. We tried different varieties with lots of nuts, chocolate and walnut. All very tasty and then at the same shop we tried like a Turkish donut they were oval shaped and were dough that is fried in hot o and then covered with sugar syrup. Also good but would be great when warm.
Walked along to a shop which made pides in a wood fire oven. Watched as the guy, who has been this for 30 years kneaded the dough and then placed the various toppings on and baked in the oven for around 10 min. What came out was a most delicious crispy pastry soft cheese creation. Sat in the sun and enjoyed it all.
Time for something sweet so along to a lokum ( Turkish delight) shop. Four generation have worked in this shop making Turkish delight and hard candy sweets. So very very tasty but none of it was in sealed packets so can't send it back to Australia.
Next stop was a 17th century guest house. In the front entrance way was a small cafe, were it has always been. We stopped in had some tea and halva ( a sesame seed sweet).
Enjoyed the sunshine in the courtyard and looking around this original building.
Next it was onto a kebab place. This was a special mixture of meat marinated in onions then layered with tomatoes and peppers. Enjoyed some sliced off in a sandwich with fresh tomatoes and onions.
The place next door was squeezing fresh orange and ruby grapefruit juice combination... Yum.
Walked up and around the corner to a place that makes and serves boza. A fermented drink made from millet. It is very thick and topped with cinnamon and roasted hazelnuts. Was a very different taste but was good.
Then it was onto our last stop of the day. I am not sure how I am now going to sit down at 4 course lunch after spending all morning eating...
We arrived at Siirt seref buryan. This place is famous for it's underground oven. The oven was dug into the ground an then the hot coal are thrown in the bottom and then the raw meat is hung over the coals, lid is put on and mud is used to seal it all shut for 3 to 4 hours while the meat cooks.
The first dish was a pastry stuffed with ground beef and spices. A spicy tomato sauce (a bit like a cooked salsa) was served with it. The pastry was made with a whole wheat so that gave it a different texture and flavor.
The second dish was a perde a, shortcrust pastry shell that was filled with rice, chicken, currents and almonds. Was a very delicious dish.
The main dish was a Buryan kebap. It is a flat Turkish bread topped with the meat from the underground oven and then sprinkled with salt and then another piece of bread on top.
It was alright but the meat was a little dry.
For dessert we shared the Turkish cheesecake. It is made from a very stringy pastry which is held together with a sugar syrup. The inside was filled with a sweet mozzarella like cheese. It tasted really good.
The other dessert was a chicken pudding. It was a a very very strange food. The main pudding is a milk based and then chicken purée is added and then it is dry fried in a pan till burnt and then served. It is so strange but tasted so good.
It was close to 4 by the time we finished the tea and said our goodbyes.
I walked ... well wondered slowly through the shops around the spice bazaar and then back to the hotel. Looking in at all the different little shops and stalls. Again all the shops are clustered together... All the stores selling scales were grouped together around a mosque called scale seller mosque.
Walked all the way to the grand bazaar and walked in but it was getting late so a lot of the stores were closing. Walked back around and down to the hotel.
Couldn't even think about eating dinner as I was still so full from the day out eating.
- comments
Rachel Wow, all that food Sarah? Sounds delicious though x