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| For those who travel
engaged in culinary pursuits, the Turkish Cuisine is a very, curious one. The variety of
dishes that make up the Cuisine, the ways they all come together in feast-like meals, and
the evident intricacy of each craft offer enough material for life-long study and
enjoyment. It is not easy to discern a basic element or a single dominant feature, like
the Italian "pasta" or the French "sauce". Whether in a
humble home, at a famous restaurant, or at a dinner in a Bey's mansion, familiar patterns
of this rich and diverse Cuisine are always present. It is a rare art, which satisfies
your senses while reconfirming the higher order of society; community and
culture. A practical-minded child watching Mother cook "cabbage
dolma" on a
lazy; gray winter day is bound
to wonder : "Who on earth discovered this
peculiar combination of sautéed rice, pine-nuts, currants, spices, herbs and all tightly
wrapped in translucent leaves of cabbage all exactly half an inch thick and stacked up on
an oval serving plate decorated with lemon wedges. How was it possible to transform this
humble vegetable to such heights of fashion and delicacy with so few additional
ingredients. And, how can such a yummy dish possibly also be good for one"
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The
modern mind, in a moment of contemplation, has similar thoughts upon entering a modest
sweets shop in Turkey where "baklava" is the generic cousin of a dozen or so sophisticated
sweet pastries with names like : twisted turban, sultan, saray (palace), lady's
navel,
nightingale's nest... The same experience awaits you at a "muhallebi" (pudding shop)
with a dozen different types of milk puddings.
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| One can only conclude that the
evolution of this glorious Cuisine was not an accident. Similar to other grand Cuisine of
the world, it is a result of the combination of three key elements. A nurturing
environment is irreplaceable. Turkey is known for an abundance and diversity of foodstuff
due to its rich flora, fauna and regional differentiation. And the legacy of an Imperial
Kitchen is inescapable. Hundreds of cooks specializing in different types of
dishes, all
eager to please the royal palate, no doubt had their influence in perfecting the Cuisine
as we known it today The Palace Kitchen, supported by a complex social
organization, a
vibrant urban life, specialization of labor, trade, and total control of the Spice
Road,
reflected the culmination of wealth and the flourishing of culture in the capital of a
mighty Empire. And the influence of the longevity of social organization should not be
taken lightly either. The Turkish State of Anatolia is a millenium old and
so, naturally,
is the Cuisine. Time is of the essence; as Ibn'i Haldun wrote, "The religion of the
King, in time, becomes that of the
People", which also holds for the King's food. This, the reign of the Ottoman Dynasty during 600
years, and a seamless cultural
transition into the present day of modern Turkey led to the evolution of a grand Cuisine
through differentiation, refinement and perfection of dishes, as well as their sequence
and combination of the meals.
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| It is quite rare when all three of
the above conditions are met, as they are in the French, the Chinese and the Turkish
Cuisine. The Turkish Cuisine has the extra privilege of being at the
cross-roads of the
Far-East and the Mediterranean, which mirrors a long and complex history of Turkish
migration from the steppes of Central Asia (where
they mingled with the Chinese) to Europe (where they exerted influence all the way to Vienna). All these unique characteristics and history have
bestowed upon the Turkish Cuisine a rich and varied n umber of dishes, which can be
prepared and combined with other dishes in meals of almost infinite
variety, but always in
a non-arbitrary way This led to a Cuisine that is open to improvisation through
development of regional styles, while retaining its deep structure, as all great works of
art do.
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The Cuisine is also an integral aspect of
culture. It is a part of the rituals of
everyday life events. It reflects spirituality, in for ms that are specific to it, through
symbolism and practice.
Anyone who
visits Turkey or has a meal in a Turkish home, regardless of the success of the particular
cook, is sure to notice how unique the Cuisine is. Our intention here is to help the
uninitiated to enjoy Turkish food by achieving a higher level of understanding of the
repertoire of dishes, related cultural practices and their spiritual
meaning.
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