How to Make Simit, Turkish Sesame Bread Rings
Here in Istanbul only a few might make simit, sesame-bathed bread rings, at home. But while visiting my parents in Russia it felt like a right thing to do: after all my dad is a simit-addict. When my parents came to Turkey last autumn, dad walked from our Sapanca property down to the village (1 hour downhill and then 1.5 hours back) to combine exercise and purchasing of some simit. Much to his embarrassment he forgot the word and could not make himself clear to a bakkal who would not sell simit anyway.
That’s why my caring husband assumed the duty of finding a good bakery wherever we stayed during our road trip with parents and diligently procured simit every morning. I can’t call most of the simit on the Aegean coast the real deal, but dad felt his breakfast was incomplete without a bread ring or two. No wonder that my impossible-to-excite parent brightened when I announced I would be making simit.
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How to Make Phyllo Pastry: Secrets of Bosnian Savory Pie
There are a few cooking methods that fascinate me beyond words. They might not be the rocket science but in my book they are fairly close: it took a freaking genius to break the ground, and thanks to the group of talented and dedicated people the pursuit goes on. Take tarhana making, or turning tomato-loaded fermented dough into a winter soup during the fall preservation marathon. When did people start doing this? Who came up with the idea? Why don’t we know the name of the person to whom a prayer should be sent before every winter meal of deliciously tangy and sometimes life saving tarhana? Or, think about making phyllo pastry. Have you ever thought that even before the commercial kind made it to the supermarket shelves there must have been a reliable method to produce phyllo pastry at home?
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How to Make Urfa-Style Kebab
I rarely stress the fact I do not eat meat because I find that vegetarianism is a corrupted concept even among vegetarians themselves. My choice of not eating meat is not ideological: I may pity the slaughtered animals but I understand there is a natural order of things, and it’s logical that man domesticated some animals to secure the supply of extremely nutritious food. I have never preached to anybody about following my lead because doing so often comes from your own insecurity about your choice, and I feel strong about mine.
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5 Secrets to Perfect Hummus
I thought I was never going to write a post like this, but the more I read the more obliged I feel to. I am going to tell you about perfect hummus. I mean it. I know, the originality of my intention is zero. Who has not posted a hummus recipe or two with claiming a reasonable perfection? Hummus is not longer viewed as an exotic dish coming from the Middle East, but a simple fix of the ingredients readily available to a modern day home cook. Maybe that explains the whole deal of the wanna-be-hummus recipes out there which do not get you anywhere close to the real deal. Unlike the one I am going to share.
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Istanbul Bonito Fever and 5 Tips For Perfect Roasted Fish
This fall in Istanbul we are crazy about bonito (palamut). As other migratory fish (moving from colder Black Sea to the warmer Sea of Marmara- inevitably through the Bosphorus) is has always been one the most favorite fishes eaten in Istanbul. In fact so favorite and so important that bonito was depicted on some Byzantine coins. And this year sounds very much like those prehistoric times when abundant fish in Istanbul could be caught by hands or baskets.
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Leaf + Herb + Fruit: How to Make Your Own Tea
It became clear when we came back to Sapanca with a bus full of our guests. Only a week away in Istanbul drew a very evident line between the balmy summer nights and the autumnal nocturnal chill. Change that makes me very melancholic every year. As we arrived I put on a hoodie and (much to the satisfaction of my mother-in-law) socks and went ahead serving freshly brewed tea to our guests and family who have immediately filled our restaurant terrace with their sighs of amusement, clicks of cameras and comments on how lucky we are to live in a place blessed with divine serenity and magnificent view. All of a sudden our mundane life turned magic.
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How To Make Fresh Pasta
On Tuesday we expected no guests and parents were gone to Istanbul. After my yoga session in front of the open window I ran out of the house wearing a t-shirt and crocs. What a difference from the past week when I still had the snow boots and a few layers of clothes on me. Since the spring showed up at our hilltop this Sunday it was making up for its delay with due diligence. More ground and even occasional flowers revealed after the snow melted and wild crying cats that have occupied our farmhouse.
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