Food

I'm not going to lie...I like yummy food! I like to think that I'm a pretty diverse eater, but really, I've lived in California and Arizona all my life. I like Mexican and American food and have rarely tried anything else. It wasn't until about a year ago that I convinced myself to try more seafood. So, I was hoping I could figure out some simple meals here to cook for myself in case I had a hard time with the food. I think I could live off of rice, some meat, and fruit. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to be in a home that cooks various good Turkish meals. And especially fortuante...Turkish meals typically include a lot of pasta sauces. I didn't mention... I LOVE pasta!!!

Aside from many of the homecooked meals I have had, here are a few of my favorite things:

Döner meat! Döner meat is a popular food here. The meat is put on a stake and spun around and around, cooking the meat and sometimes charring the outside. Various types of meat are used, lamb, beef, chicken. My favorite is chicken (Tavuk). Mmmm, Just looking at this makes me want one!

Here I am eating a Tavuk Döner Burrito. It was my first one in Istanbul! It came with chicken, a few french fries, pickles and tomatoes. I was not too particularly keen on the tomatoes and pickles (sweet), but fell in love with the chicken meat!

The picture below is basically what I have every Thursday when I head down to Üsküdar. There are about 5 different Döner shops within 500 feet of eachother. This one, in particular, comes with just the meat, french fries and tomatoes...though I ask for "domates yok". At one place in Kadıköy they added lettuce to the sandwich, which I thought was pretty good. Very simple, I know, but I love it!

Another one of my favorite foods here is Lahmacun (Lah-ma-joon). It is a Turkish Pizza. It is a thin crust (almost tortilla thin) topped with minced meat (lamb here, I believe), cilantro, peppers, parsley, and possibly something else I am unaware of. You can top the pizza with lemon juice, lettace, or tomatoes. Once you have topped off your pizza, you roll it burrito style and eat away.

There are many snack vendors around busy areas. This picture is of a corn vendor. Alongside, this vendor also sells roasted chestnuts. I haven't tried either from the vendors, but likely will eventually. In Üsküdar there are many vendors that sell breads. Simit is a popular bread with most vendors and is even sold by vendors walking the streets. Simit is a round bagel-like bread covered in sesame seeds. They are pretty good if you get them fresh. There is another dessert bread that is sold my the vendors that I absolutely love. It's almost like a soft pastry bread with a cinnamon pastry bread folded into it. Mmmm!

In the Grand Bazaar there is a restaurant that cooks only "homemade" foods. This meal is a lamb soup with vegetables, a tomato, cucumber and parsley salad, and simple white rice (with a chicken or lamb flavoring). I loved the soup! The salad wasn't what I was expecting, as I am not particularly a fan of tomatoes, and the rice...well, I think I love all rice.

Below is a simple chicken wrap. Mayonnaise is common here with french fries. Ketchup is as well, but mayo almost seems more common. I am not obsessed with either, so I mix the two and create a fry dip. I have seen this done by many Turks, as well.

In an effort to avoid getting homesick, I thought it was important to find a good Mexican food restaurant as soon as I can. El Torito was found in Sultanhamet, not far from the Blue Mosque. Let's just say, if I get DESPERATE for Mexican food, maybe I will head here...otherwise, I think I can deal without Mexican food if this is what I will get. Blah!

Fast food has taken over the world! Burger King and McDonalds have MANY shops in Istanbul. There are a couple of things I find interesting about the fast food places here... 1. The two shops below have walk up ice cream windows. So, if you're walking by and decide you need a McFlurry, stop at the window and grab one! 2. Many fast food places (Mc D's, BK, Little Ceasars, Dominos, etc) have delivery. Their drivers drive around on little mopeds delivering the food stored in their back warming basket. I need a pic of this! I would like to say, I have eaten at BK, but with the family just once on the way to a show.

So, that is just a few foods I have tried here. I am not a historian. I am not an architecture enthusiast. I am not really a linguist (though I am working on that!). But, I do like cooking. My hope is to really learn how to cook some of the homemade food here. Then there will be lots of pictures!