Tuesday 23 January 2018

Dear Diary.....Istanbul II


Dear Diary,

Continuing from where I left off on my previous diary entry, I shall now move on to another aspect of Istanbul that had left a deep impression on us - the food! Istanbul is without a doubt a food haven and it was a lure that was so hard to resist for food-junkies like me and my husband! Furthermore, the lower cost of living (relative to that in Europe) meant that we could indulge in the local food to our heart’s content and also get to interact more with the locals during mealtime! That is what we call killing two birds with one stone!

Before arriving in Istanbul, my husband and I would always associate Turkish food with doner kebab. Oh boy, we soon realized how ignorant we were when we were presented with the wide variety of food in Istanbul! From the interactions with the restaurant owners/chefs to the taste of the food and even to the plating of the dishes, it was very obvious that the locals take great pride in their food. Much as we wanted to learn more about the Turkish cuisine that is central to the lives of the Turks, the short stay in Istanbul had literally made it impossible to become an expert in Turkish food all at once. We were also faced with the challenge of not knowing how to differentiate Turkish cuisine from Greek cuisine, both of which shared many similarities. What we do know for sure is that we had gained weight post-trip from all that eating in Istanbul! I shall now let the photos do all the talking...

A cart selling Simit (a circular bread with sesame seeds) - common breakfast item in Istanbul

Appetizer: Hummus with Olive oil (left) and tomato-based Acili ezme (right)

Chicken Shish Kebab with Pilaf rice

Beef stew that literally melts in the mouth...

Tavuk Kiremit (chicken casserole)

Grilled chicken with rice

Durum (Turkish wrap)

Turkish tea after meals

The complimentary Turkish delight that got us hooked!

The whole range of Turkish delights in the Spice market

Carts selling roasted chestnuts - supper anyone?

Mealtime is when most of the social bonding occurs worldwide and this is also very apparent in Istanbul. In almost all of the eatery that we went, the owner would try to make it a point to get to know their customers. Simple interactions like asking where we are from, sincere recommendations and explanations about the food and even kind gestures like offering the Turkish tea/Turkish delights post-meals make the whole dining experience a pleasant one. Some even went a step further by asking how our trip was and even provided recommendations and directions to where to visit next. Their hospitality was kind of overwhelming in a good way!

This first trip to Istanbul has truly been a wonderful one and we would definitely love to visit other parts of Turkey when the opportunity arises in the future!

Yours Truly,
Claire



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Related post:
Dear Diary.....Istanbul

16 comments:

  1. Wow, this food look amazing. My mouth is watering as I'm looking at these pictures. I really like this post and I think its great that you are giving us all an idea of how food is different in other countries for other cultures. I think its amazing that meal time is where the social bonding happens. I feel like its like that for a lot of cultures (well at least for the American ones lol). But great entry. I look forward to reading more.

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  2. Hi Melinda, thanks for reading! Yup, I had a hard time concentrating when I was writing this post as well with all the photos of the yummy food. Haha.
    Will post more foodie post when I have the chance to taste the other delicious cuisines.. stay tune :)
    Cheers!

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  3. it all looks so tasty! i cant believe how big the chicken shish looks! im such a fussy eater and always worry for when i go away if there is going to food i will eat and i always manage to do so! i cant be that fuss after all! and you cant beat proper turkish delight!

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    1. Hi Stacey Jones, thanks for reading. I can totally understand as I am quite picky with food as well.. but the food in Istanbul is absolutely yummy! :)

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  4. This was a great post. i can be a picky eater but this food looks amazing.

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    1. Hi Ashley, the food in Istanbul is more than enough for a picky eater like me ;P
      I am sure you will have no problem finding food that will delight your taste buds there :)

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  5. I'm half Greek, so some of these foods definitely did ring a bell to me, but it was surprising to me how different some aspects of the two cuisines are!

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    1. Hi Maria, thanks for readings!
      Really? I have not had the chance to try out Greek food but would love to in the future to understand the difference between these two types of cuisine :)

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  6. Your pictures are absolutely amazing! I've been thinking more and more about visiting Istanbul and the food has been one of the main attractions. Your pictures and article just might've convinced me!

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    1. Hi Brittany, thanks for reading! Istanbul is a lovely place and I believe you will enjoy yourself there :)
      Cheers!

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  7. Great post, your photos are captured super nicely! I’m a huge foodie, so I’m definitely drooling after reading your post!

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    1. Hi makemeupblogs, thanks for reading! haha...I cant emphasize how difficult it was for me to complete this post without feeling hungry from looking at all the photos! Glad you enjoyed the photos as much as I did!
      Cheers!

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  8. Hi Claire, Great post with amazing photos...showing all the yummy food. Enjoy reading your posts which gave me a good tour of happenings (food, culture etc) in Istanbul. Looking forward to your next post.

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    1. Hi Grace, thanks for reading and glad that you enjoyed my posts :)
      Stay tuned :D

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  9. I can still remember the taste of Turkish food! When I look at your delicious photos I want to go back there and eat to my heart's content. :)

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    1. Hi Kate, thanks for reading! And yup, I am totally with you on wanting to go back for the food again! ;P

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