Original Turks lived a nomadic lifestyle and migrated from the Far East Asia, (mainly Western China Tibet and Mongolia regions) to the current geographic location of Turkey and surrounding areas. As they moved from the Far East to Asia Minor (current Turkey), the Turkish ancestors adopted various foods from various cultures along the way which led to a very diverse although developed and refined cuisine.
For instance, ‘mantı’ which is small pieces of dough stuffed with minced meat and spices topped with yogurt sauce is supposedly adopted from Chinese dumplings. It is said that the idea of ‘dolma’ (stuffed vegetables) came from ‘mantı’. Due to their nomadic lifestyle, the nomadic Turks’ diet was mainly based on animal products such as lamb, goat and game. Different techniques of preserving food were invented in order to prevent food from spoiling. Perhaps ‘pastırma’, which is dried cured beef mainly made in the city of Kayseri in Central Anatolia region came about from the need to preserve meat without spoiling.
Ottoman Empire:
It is no secret that the integration of nomadic Turks with other civilizations, geographic locations and weather had influenced their culinary traditions which brings us to the food culture of the Ottoman Empire. The vast Ottoman Empire which covered three continents for a length of almost 600 years and controlled the spice road, influenced food culture from North Africa to Eastern Europe (up to Vienna, Austria) and most of the Middle East leaving a trace of similarities in the current Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Middle Eastern cuisines.
The Imperial Palaces had enormously large kitchens that had separate cooks for each kitchen specializing in one single type of dish that was developed and perfected over time. For example, each cook specialized in ‘pilav’ (pilaf), ‘dolma’, ‘baklava’, ‘kebabs’, ‘desserts and so on. Dried fruits such as apricots, raisins, currants and the best quality spices frequently were employed in cooking. Through development and improvisation, the Ottoman Cuisine evolved to be the current Turkish cuisine.
Food By Region:
After the end of the Ottoman Empire, the modern Republic of Turkey was founded in 1923 adopted the same delicious cuisine and cooking techniques. The importance of food during the Ottoman days and now in the current Republic of Turkey cannot be overstated. It is a significant part of the culture and daily life. This solid sense of food culture can be found in every single part of Turkey albeit the food itself is very heterogeneous. Although some dishes are prevalent throughout Turkey, every region, even province has its own type of cuisine that may not be recognized by other regions. Almost every region or province is renowned for one or more types of foods.
The South/Southeast region encompassing mainly Adana, Mersin, Hatay, Gaziantep, Kilis, Şanlıurfa provinces is known for its spicy and versatile foods. Red pepper paste and many types of spices are frequently used in its food such as ‘kısır’, ‘dolma’, ‘kebaps’, ‘stews’ and many other dishes to enhance the flavor of a dish. Mersin is known for its ‘tan tunic’ (sauteed minced meat with spices placed inside bread), Antakya is renowned with its delightful dessert ‘künefe’, Adana with ‘Adana kebap’, Gaziantep with ‘baklava’, ‘antepfıstığı’ (pistachios), Şanlıurfa with ‘çiğ köfte’ (fine bulgur mixed with raw ground meat and spices) and Central Anatolia with ‘keşkek’ (meat and wheat or barley stew).
When ‘hamsi’ (anchovies) is mentioned, the first place that comes to mind in Turkey is the Black Sea region which is located in Northern Turkey. This area is also known for its ‘kara Lahaina’ (collard greens) dishes, black tea and hazelnut farming. Kayseri province which is in the Anatolian region is known for the best ‘mantı’ and ‘pastırma’ (pastrami). The Mediterranean region in the southern part of the country and the Aegean region in the west part of the country are popular with vegetable and olive oil dishes and the list goes on.
