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Although Turkish food does not have one essential element it has evolved and been perfected over many centuries in an almost continuous and single minded path, primarily down to a few simple but key facts. An Imperial Court and the desires of numerous cooks to serve up dishes that gained royal favour, highly advanced social organisation, geographical position of the country as a crossroad between the Middle East and Mediterranean Europe and total control over the Spice Road all helped add variety and innovation to the Turkish menu.

Food in Turkey is of significant and inextricable spritiual importance, certain dishes being associated with specific religious, cultural and celebratory events during the year.

Meat, dairy products, vegetables and grain crops are used in abundance in Turkish cookery and in many ways the Turkish menu bears similarities to that of Greece. Often small dishes are carefully selected and combined together to form a hige variety of distinct meals. Turkish cuisines may diversely include stuffed vegetables, pasta and leaves, skewered meats - the kebab, cheeses and yoghurts and fish from the region's seas

Areas of Turkey and their Cuisine

Anatolia is famed for cereal harvests and bread production is plentiful and varied. Widespread use of wheat makes choosing Turkish bread a tricky decision amongst a bewlidering array of options; Anatolia is known as a bread basket of the world

The Eastern Region containing snow capped mountains and rugged terrain is where widespread farming of livestock will be found and dairy products such as cheese and yoghurt supplement meat, cereals and honey. Yoghurt soup and spiced meatballs are typical dishes of the area.

Central Turkey comprising dry steppes and prevalent arable farming enjoys a rich cuisine with an equally rich heritage. Vegetable dishes, kebabs and helva desserts are popular today and centred on Konya which was the Seljuk Empire's capital

Western Turkey's cuisine is typified by fruit, vegetables, olive oil and seafood

The Black Sea Coast Area cuisine is by definition intertwined with the region and its inhabitants relationship with the sea and the small hamsi fish, similar to an anchovy. Numerous dishes exist that incorporate the hamsi. Corn, nuts and tea are other abundant foodstuffs in the area

South Eastern Turkey is identified with kebabs, pastries and spicy food

The Marmara Region, including Istanbul has one of the most varied and plentiful menus throughout Turkey. A huge choice of fish, fruit and vegetables is turned into creative dishes and one of the area's most famous dishes is its subtly flavoured lamb.

Common Food and Recipes of Turkey

Manti - dumplings, eaten with plenty of garlic yoghurt plus melted bulter and paprika

Pide - pitta style bread, flat and unleavened

Borek - food made from thin sheets of pastry which are layered prior to filling with cheese or meat stuffing and then baked or even fried

Pilav - Commonly found using cracked wheat or rice as its main constituent ingredient. Cracked wheat pilav will often include onion, peppers and tomato boiled in a beef stock. Rice pilav varieties are a popular accompaniment to both meat and vegetable dishes

Izgara - Mixed grilled meat often including lamb chops and shish diced meat

Kebab - Kebabs are well known to takeaway fans and in Anatolia, Turkey the Kebabci is often one of the most inexpensive places to dine. In addition to an array of spicy and house speciality versions, the widely recognised shish and doner kebabs are to be found on the menu too. Shish kebabs are made from skewered cubes of meat, whereas the doner kebab's meat comes from taking thin shavings from an upright rotating stack of ground meat alternated with sliced leg of lamb. Lahmacun (meat on pitta) and Adana (spiced ground meat) will appear on the menu of even the most humble kebabci, along with salad greens and a sweet such as baklava for dessert.

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We will be adding more typical Turkish food information and recipes soon