I do that more often that I wish I had to. I sort of hate to ruin excitement of the first time Istanbul visitors they get into at the sight of the sizable boxes with a label ‘Turkish saffron” and equally impossible price tag ’5 Turkish lira’. I dislike politely explaining that technically there is no such thing as the Ottoman spice mix. And I know I will be forever cursed for revealing the secret of the apple tea which really is .. just an instant powder. But at the end of the day this is why people join my Istanbul food tours: they do want to go beyond the tourist scams which means that at times I have to - rather cruelly - dethrone some of the myths created by the smooth-taking Istanbul spice sellers.
Istanbul Spice Market
Istanbul Spice Market, once the largest spice trading venue of the medieval world, with its abundant stalls still featuring piles of edible exotics is a definite highlight for anyone exploring Istanbul and a favorite stop during my Istanbul food tour. As with all the touristic highlights you need to be prepared to fetch some fantastic finds and not to fall for any of the catches.
