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| Volumes
have been written about the Turkish coffee; its
history significance in social life, and the
ambiance of the ubiquitous coffee houses. Without
some understanding of this background, it is easy
to be disappointed by the tiny brew with the
annoying grounds, which an uninitiated traveler (like
Mark Twain)
may accidentally end up chewing. A few words of
caution will have to suffice for the purposes of
this brief primer. First, the grounds are not to
be swallowed; so, sip the coffee gingerly Secondly
don't expect a caffeine surge with one shot of
Turkish coffee, it is not "strong",
just thick. Third, remember that it is the setting
and the company that matters - the coffee is just
an excuse for the occasion...
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| Tea,
on the other hand, is the main source of caffeine
for the Turks. It is prepared in a special way, by
brewing it over boiling water and served in delicate,
small, clear glasses to show the deep red color and
to keep it hot. Drinking tea is such an essential
part of a working day that any disruption of the
constant supply of fresh tea is a sure way to
sacrifice productivity Once upon a time, so the
story goes, a lion escaped from the Ankara Zoo and
took up residence in the basement of an office
building. It began devouring public servants and
executives. It even ate up a few ministers of state
and nobody took notice. It is said that a posse was
immediately formed when the lion caught and ate the
"Tea-man",
the person responsible for the supply of fresh tea!
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| A
park without tea and coffee is inconceivable in
Turkey Thus, every spot with a view has a tea-house
or a tea-garden. These places may be under a
simple tree looking into the village or town
square, on top of hills with majestic views of a
valley or the sea, by the harbor, in the market,
on a road-side with a scenic overview by a
waterfall or in the woods. Among the typical tea-gardens
in Istanbul are: the Emirgan on the European side,
Çamlıca on the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus,
the famous Pierre Loti cafe, and the tea-garden in
Üsküdar. But the traditional tea-houses are
beginning to disappear from the more tourist-oriented
seaside locations, in favor of "pubs"
and "Biergarten".
Among
the beverages worth mentioning are excellent
bottled fruit juices. But, perhaps the most
interesting drink is "Boza",
traditionally sold in neighborhood streets by
mobile vendors on a winter night. This is a thick,
fermentated drink made of wheat berries, to be
enjoyed with a dash of cinnamon and a handful of
roasted chick-peas. Boza can also be found year-round
at certain cafes or dessert shops.
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| Warm
winter's drink "Salep" |
"Sahlep"
is a hot drink made with milk and sahlep powder. With
the coming of cold winter days, Turkey's cake and pudding
shops begin serving salep in place of ice cream. Salep is
made from the powdered root of several species of wild
orchid, and is both tasty and nourishing. It keeps the
body warm in cold weather and increases resistance against
the colds and coughs of winter.
The Turks have been drinking salep for many centuries.
After they became converted in the 8th century to Islam, a
religion which prohibited the consumption of alcoholic
drinks like wine and kımız (made
from mar'sh milk), non-alcoholic beverages like
boza (made from maize),
"şıra" (grape
juice) and salep took their place. While şıra was
the preferred drink of the summer months, boza and hot
salep were the drinks of winter. Also known as çayırotu
or çemçiçeği, salep is believed to be good for
disorders of the intestines, colds and coughs; improve the
appetite and increase virility. Ancient folklore relates
that it was an ingredient of love potions brewed by
witches.
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In Ottoman times
salep was an ingredient of invigorating pastes
prepared for the sultans, along with ginger,
coriander, senna, black cumin seeds, coconut,
aniseed and numerous other herbs and spices. In
winter salep prepared as a drink with milk was
sold by street vendors, who kept it warm in large
copper jugs on a brazier. Their customers would
warm themselves by the brazier and drink salep out
of large cups without handles.
The largest tubers are gathered from orchids
growing in forested mountainous regions, while
those growing in meadows and high pastures are
smaller. They grow best in soil with a high lime
content, and those with the finest aroma and
richest in starch are found at altitudes of 1000
to 1100 metres. In Anatolia most orchid species
belong to the genera Orchis and Ophrys. Wild
orchids are most abundant in the provinces of
Kahramanmaraş, Adıyaman, Bitlis, and the Black
Sea provinces, particularly Kastamonu. They flower
in April and May, and then seed. Some of the
flowers are scentless, while others produce a
sweet scent that is strongest in the evening, and
their colours vary from white to various tones of
purple.
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| The orchid tubers are
gathered while the plant is in flower. Each orchid
has two tubers, one the main tuber from which the
flower springs, and the other its younger offshoot.
Only the young tuber is harvested, leaving the main
tuber untouched. The cream-coloured tubers are
either egg-shaped or forked. They are washed and
then tossed into boiling milk or water for a short
while to remove the bitter flavour and make them
easier to dry. They are then dried either in the
openair or in ovens to speed up the process. After
drying they may be stored whole or ground. The
principal substances contained in salep vary
according to the time of harvesting, but basically
consist of mucilage, starch, sugar and nitrates.
The colour is generally creamy.
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Salep is the traditional
thickening ingredient in Turkish ice cream, and the
substance that lends the characteristic glutinous texture
as well as subtle flavour. It is also used mixed with
sugar and milk to make the hot drink known as salep, which
is served sprinkled with cinnamon. Salep is the most
popular hot drink at ski resorts like Uludağ and
Kartalkaya, and is sold by street vendors outside football
stadiums. When Ramazan falls in winter, as it does this
year, salep even appears on the dinner menus of elegant
restaurants and luxury hotels.
Salep is expensive, so what is sold as salep may often be
made with more cornstarch than the real thing. Therefore,
if you do not want to be disappointed, it is better not to
drink salep sold in the street. Places to be recommended
include the pudding shops of Beyoğlu and along the
Bosphorus which are famous for their salep. Even better
make it yourself at home, which will save you from going
out in cold weather. Salep is simple to prepare. You can
buy salep powder from the Kemeraltı in Izmir, or from
other spice shops, and it will keep in a glass jar
indefinitely. Just boil up with milk and sugar for a
delicious health giving cup of salep.
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