What Do Turkish People Eat?

Walking the streets of New York foreigners would guess that Americans eat a lot of pizza, hamburgers, Chinese food and McDonalds and they would be right. I applied the same concept to the streets of Turkey. Here’s what I found.

Manti
Pinched pillows of pasta stuffed with meat and topped with a yogurt tomato sauce are called manti. Variations on this dish can range from the simple homemade to eye catching decadence. Similar to ravioli, these savory bites are appealing to even the most timid eaters.

Yogurt
Mixed with chopped green beans, cucumbers, garlic or spice, yogurt is a heavy hitter in the Turkish diet.

Burek
Flaky and filled with feta-like cheese, burek is like a fried croissant with its savory layers of pastry. Best hot and fresh, they can also be stuffed with meat.

Kebab
Lamb, chicken and turkey are all popular items on the spinning spit. Stuffed with french fries, tomatoes and lettuce, this on the go meal can be served on regular or flat bread and tastes best with a douse of spicy sauce.

Turkish Bread
Chewy like dense cotton candy Turkish bread is served at every meal with a side of butter. Sold for about 30 cents a loaf, the bread is always fresh and plentiful.

Steamed Corn
Hot dogs, take a step back. Steamed corn sprinkled with salt is the sidewalk cuisine of choice in Turkey.

Simit
Super chewy and covered in sesame seeds these bagel-like bread rings are the ultimate street food. Turks by the snacks from small streets carts or mobile vendors like this guy.

Kofte
Kofte is to Turkey what hamburgers are to the U.S. Like mini meat loaves these lamb meatballs are soft in texture and are seasoned with spices and parsley.

Pide
Called Turkish pizza, pide is more like an open-faced calzone. Toppings like ground meat, veggies, and eggs are popular. Be careful, the quality of pide can range from brick oven beautiful to Domino’s disaster.

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Visit a Turkish Green Market

Seasonal fruits and veggies dictate menus in Turkey.
While I was there, summer tomatoes, cucumbers and eggplant were some of the heavy hitters. Peaches dripping with juice and sweet little strawberries were also a favorite snack.
To get the best you have to visit bustling green markets like this one.

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Listen to an Islamic Call to Prayer

Jet-lag left me awake on a sticky leather couch in an Istanbul hotel room. It was 3:32am when a speaker cracked to life. The echo of the Islamic call to prayer was a soothing sound for this unfaithful traveler. Click here to listen for yourself.

Majestic mosques are scattered throughout this country where 99% of the inhabitants are Muslim. But before you pray, you must wash.

The Turkey Download Starts Here

Hellooo Everyone,

Sorry for the radio silence, but I’ve been in Turkey for the last two weeks. Battling foreign language keyboards and ancient internet hook ups is near impossible after a day of walking under the sun, but I have an old fashioned notebook filled with things to share. Let’s start with some Turkey basics.

Deodorant is not a cultural norm.

Kebabs rotate on every street corner and can cost as little as 1 TYL (70¢).

The Islamic call to prayer can be heard five times a day- everywhere.

A Turkish breakfast.

Many women wear veils.

Bus attendants wear bowties.

Turks drink tea from rose shaped glasses- all day long.

Baklava is addictive- I had two pieces a night for two weeks.

Cats and dogs run the streets like Kings.

Five Fab Places to Eat in Rome

“The food wasn’t as good as I thought it would be…”

Wait a sec. did my heart just stop?

Scores of tourists return from Italian vacations disappointed with the food and I’m not surprised. Imagine going to New York City and only eating in Times Square! Restaurants near tourists attractions with menus in English are convenient but they won’t give you the flavor you’re looking for.

To get the best food tips you’ve got to talk to the locals but not everyone likes to spend their vacation begging restaurant recommendations from big-bellied old timers, like I do, so I’ve compiled a list of five of my favorite places to eat in Rome. This list is a result of tons of delicious research, so print it out, and put in your suitcase reassured that you won’t return home on an empty stomach.

Pompi

Nicknamed the king of tiramisu, this place lives up to its reputation. Strawberry tiramisu is made with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and light mascarpone . Living in that neighborhood for a few months, Pompei’s fresh, cornetti got me out of bed every morning. These Italian cousins of the croissant filled with chocolate or cream are best before 10am when they’re still hot from the oven.

Pompi
via Albalonga 7b/9/11
+39 06 58 0099
Hours 6:30 am -1:30 am Closed Mondays
Metro Stop: Rei di Roma

Nuova Cittá

Need a break from pizza and pasta? Try some Italian style Chinese food. The neighborhood isn’t much to look at, but a trip to Nuova Cittá means a break from the crowds and a tasty inexpensive meal. Be sure to try the involtini primavera (spring rolls) ravioli al vapore (steamed dumplings).

Nuova Cittá
via Furio Camillo, 70/72
+39 06 7803578
Hours: 11:00am-3:00pm 6:00pm-12:00pm
Metro Stop: Furio Camillo

Boccione

A trip to the Jewish ghetto isn’t complete without a visit to Boccione. Famous for their light macaroons, the ancient oven was on the fritz on my most recent visit. With hundreds of years in business, one bad day can’t tarnish their reputation. Try the ricotta cake and marzipan.

Boccione
via del Portico d’ Ottavia 1 Ghetto
+39 06 6878637
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 8:00am-7:30pm Friday 8:00am-3:30pm
Tram Stop: Piazza B. Cairoli

Captain Cono

After braving the lines at Saint Peter’s Basilica, treat yourself to one of the best gelatos in Rome. Just two blocks over and one block up from the obelisk, Captain Cono stands just outside the tourist trap zone. Be sure to try cookies, pronounced koo-kees, and kinder, named after the famous German chocolate.

Captain Cono
via di Porta Cavalleggeri, 117
Hours: Sunday- Saturday 10:00am-9:00pm
Near: Saint Peter’s

Pizzeria Marmi

For a real taste of Roman style cooking, you’ve got to visit the morgue. Large marble slab tables give this pizzeria its morbid nickname. Deep fried zucchini flowers and deep fried meat covered olives are top sellers. Maybe it’s called the morgue for another reason. This place is perfect for late night dining serving pizza and bruschetta well after midnight.

Pizzeria Marmi
viale Trastevere 53/59
+39 06 5800919
Closed: Wednesdays
No Credit Cards

For more restaurant recommendations, take a look t this website www.foodinrome.com .

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