The Press

Gastronomic Society of Turkey held its 18th ordinary general assembly recently. Esin Sungur will serve as the president of the board of directors for the 2024-25 term.

Established in 1991, the Gastronomic Society of Turkey is the most established civil society organization in Turkey in the field of gastronomy. During its recent general assembly, it elected its 18th term board of directors. Esin Sungur, who has served as the secretary general from 2018 to 2021 and as vice president since 2022, will now assume the presidency.

Expressing her honor to serve as the president of the board of directors of the most established civil society organization in the field of gastronomy in Turkey, Esin Sungur stated, "The Gastronomic Society of Turkey, which will celebrate its thirty-fifth anniversary in 2026, has made significant contributions to gastronomy culture in our country, encompassing all its components and culture to this day. With the responsibility bestowed upon us by this legacy and the awareness of duty it brings, we aim to raise the bar even higher by effectively carrying on our ongoing projects such as the 'Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards' and the 'Seminar Series on the Building Blocks of Turkish Cuisine,' which we started in previous terms. We will continue to evaluate and support gastronomy culture with a multidimensional perspective and interdisciplinary approach in light of today's realities."

The new board of directors of the Gastronomic Society of Turkey and their positions are as follows: Vice Presidents Başar Eryöner and Murat Güllü, Secretary General Nazlı Kalmuk, Treasurer Oya Emerk, Members Defne Ertan Tüysüzoğlu, Bülent Karadağ, Dilek Uzunoğlu Örs, Saliha Kayaş, and Dilek Urfalılar.

Celebrating its thirty-third anniversary in 2024, the Gastronomic Society of Turkey was founded to bring out the richness of the kitchen, dining, and serving etiquette with various activities and research. Among its objectives are promoting our cuisine domestically and internationally, organizing training sessions and trips in this field, monitoring developments in dining, and encouraging such activities.

The association supports scientific research on Turkish cuisine, prepares various publications and books, organizes panels, conferences, and trips, and also hosts gastronomic dinners where special-themed menus are served and explained.

To contribute to Turkish gastronomy and support individuals and organizations in this field, Gastronomic Society of Turkey created the 'Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards,' the first award program organized by a civil society organization in Turkey in the field of gastronomy. During the pandemic period, it launched the Restaurant Management and Culinary Culture Certificate Programs in collaboration with Netkent Akdeniz Research and Science University, the first online Turkish university. In 2023, the first "Future of Food" symposium, held over two days, featured sessions shedding light on tomorrow's issues such as Food Safety, the Effects of Climate Crisis, Cooperatives, Fisheries, Urban Agriculture, Digitalization in Agriculture, and Social Gastronomy. The association's 2024 activities can be followed on its website and social media.

www.mutfakdostlari.org.tr

Esin Sungur, a graduate of Boğaziçi University's Translation and Interpretation Department, began her career in print media. After serving for many years at Gurme and Gusto Magazines, she worked as a strategic planner and creative copywriter in communication agencies. In 2009, she entered the tourism sector and served as Marketing and Communication Manager for the relaunch of the Pera Palas Hotel. She then served as Deputy General Manager responsible for Sales and Marketing at Argos in Cappadocia. After participating in the opening team of Raffles Istanbul in 2014, she worked as Marketing Director at Fairmont Quasar Istanbul. Sungur, a member of the Mutfak Dostları Association since 2006 and serving at various levels of the board of directors, currently works in the communication sector. In addition to her weekly gastronomy culture columns in Gazete Pencere, she also writes gastronomy and travel articles for publications such as Istanbul Life, Tempo Travel, Hürriyet Lezzetli Hayat, and various online platforms.

For detailed information:

Phone: 0 544 947 0019 Email: www.mddmutfakdostlari@gmail.com Website: www.mutfakdostlari.org.tr

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Gastronomic Society of Turkey hosted the "Future of Food and Sustainability Seminar" as part of its seminar series aimed at supporting Turkey's gastronomic values.

The seminar, held on June 10-11, 2023, with the support of Metro Turkey, took place at the Nadir Gastronomy Platform. It focused on evaluating the future of food from a sustainability perspective, with expert speakers discussing various topics such as Alternative Agriculture Practices in Cities, Confronting Climate Crisis and Drought, Can Digitalization Save the Future of Agriculture?, Preserving Traditional Products for the Future, The Power of Solidarity in Agricultural Development: Cooperatives, Limits of Creativity in the Kitchen, Sustainability in Professional Kitchens, and Social Gastronomy for a Better World. The sessions featured enlightening discussions on issues, challenges, and potential solutions.

Esteemed speakers at the seminar included Abdullah Aysu (Author, Farmer), Ahmet Örs (Journalist, Honorary President of Gastronomic Society of Turkey), Ali Ronay (Chef), Alparslan Baloğlu (President of Gastronomic Society of Turkey), Arzu Balkuv (Senior Manager, WWF Turkey Food and Agriculture Program), Aylin Yazıcıoğlu (Chef), Prof. Dr. Bayram Öztürk (Head of Marine Biology Department and Chairman of TÜDAV), Birol Uluşan (Category Manager, Metro Turkey), Deniz Şahin (Chef), İlhan Koçulu (Founder, Eco Museum Zavot), Prof. Dr. Miktat Kadıoğlu (Faculty Member, ITU), Murat Güllü (General Manager, Karaköy Güllüoğlu), Nazlı Pişkin (Food Culture Writer), Neptün Soyer (President of the Board, Izmir Coop. Union), Osman Serim (Advisory Board Member, Gastronomic Society of Turkey), Ömer Bozyap (Chef), Umut Karakuş (Chef), and Zeynep Kakınç (Journalist, Advisory Board Member of Gastronomic Society of Turkey).

About Gastronomic Society of Turkey:

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, Gastronomic Society of Turkey was established to uncover and promote the richness of Turkish cuisine, dining etiquette, and culinary culture through scientific research and educational activities. The association organizes events, publishes various materials, hosts panels, conferences, and culinary tours to support and promote Turkish cuisine both domestically and internationally. It emphasizes the importance of Geographic Indication System (Appelation d'origine Controlée) panels in highlighting the quality standards, production regions, and criteria of Turkey's regional and unique flavors.

Gastronomic Society of Turkey also organizes the prestigious Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards to recognize excellence in the field and encourages successful individuals and organizations. Additionally, it launched the Restaurant Management and Culinary Culture Certificate Programs in collaboration with Netkent Mediterranean Research and Science University, marking its commitment to advancing culinary education in Turkey.

For more information: Zeliha Biçer 0 544 947 0019 www.mddmutfakdostlari@gmail.com www.mutfakdostlari.org.tr

Click here for the press release.

Gastronomic Society of Turkey has been organized "Building Blocks of Turkish Cuisine" seminar series to support promoting the gastronomic values ​​of our country since 2011. It continued with the "Bagel Seminar".

Turkey's most established non-governmental organization in the field of gastronomy Gastronomic Society of Turkey, continued their efforts to support Turkey's gastronomic treasures and raise awareness about our culinary culture with the Bagel Seminar. The seminar on May 26, 2022 took place at Özyeğin University as part of the events organized by Özyeğin University Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department for Turkish Cuisine Week.

Within the scope of the Bagel Seminar, researcher and writer Dr., whom I know from the book "On Foot Izmir Street and Bakery Delicacies". Nejat Yentürk was the guest speaker. Dr. Nejat Yentürk shared with the audience the information obtained from his research not only in our country but also in neighboring geographies, and surprising facts about bagels. In his speech, Yentürk shed light on the journey of bagels prepared with different leavening and cooking techniques in different regions of our country and neighboring geographies. Drawing a broad framework from the history of bagel flour to the first appearance of the round form in the literature, from the sesameless bagel of the Black Sea to the "gevrek" of Izmir, from the double bagel to the flat bagel in Istanbul, from the pasta bagel to the kettle oil bagel varieties, Yentürk said and he also answered questions of the participants.

Özyeğin University Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts hosted the "Building Blocks of Turkish Cuisine - Bagel Seminar" as part of the events they organized for Turkish Cuisine Week.
took part in the event with two very valuable speakers. While the doyen of our gastronomy world, Dr. Nevin Halıcı was giving a speech titled "Turkish Cuisine from Central Asia to the Seljuk Period", department head Assoc. Dr. Özge Samancı also make a presentation titled “Turkish Cuisine from the Ottoman Period to the Present”.

Information about Gastronomic Society of Turkey

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, Gastronomic Society of Turkey was established to reveal all the features of our culinary riches, eating, drinking and presentation etiquette by conducting and commissioning scientific research. Promoting our cuisine at home and abroad, organizing trainings in this field, monitoring developments in food and beverage, and encouraging such studies are among the founding purposes of the association.

The association supports scientific research on Turkish cuisine, prepares various publications, organizes panels, conferences and trips, and also organizes gastronomically rich meals where menus prepared within the framework of predetermined themes are served. Gastronomic Society of Turkey emphasizes the importance of determining the quality standards, production regions and criteria of Turkey's local, unique flavors with panels titled "Geographical Indication System" (Appelation d'origine Controlée).

The Gastronomic Society of Turkey, which organizes the Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards in order to be a reference point in the field of gastronomy and to encourage successful individuals and organizations, has launched the Restaurant Management and Culinary Culture Certificate Programs in cooperation with the first online Turkish University Netkent Akdeniz Research and Science University.

For detailed information:
Zeliha Biçer 0 544 947 0019
www.mddmutfakdostlari@gmail.com
www.mutfakdostlari.org.tr

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE

Gastronomic Society of Turkey held its 17th ordinary general assembly recently.
Alparslan Baloğlu will serve as the president of the board of directors in the 2022-24 period.

Founded in 1991, Turkey's most established non-governmental organization in the field of gastronomy
Gastronomic Society of Turkey elected the Board of Directors for the 2022-24 period at its general assembly held recently. Alparslan Baloğlu, who is a member of the board of directors since 2014, will serve as the President.
Alparslan stated that being the president of the Turkey's most established non-governmental organization in the field of gastronomy Gastronomic Society of Turkey is a great responsibility and said "In addition to our ongoing projects Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards, Netkent Akdeniz Research and Culinary Culture Certificate that implemented in cooperation with the Science University, such as programs that support our culinary culture and we will implement new projects focused on awareness. Our new board of directors in the first stage started working on the publishing project that will highlight our culinary values ​​will be carried out like inventory studies and a temporary project within the contributions of valuable names in Gastronomic Society of Turkey."
The new names and their distribution of duties of the Gastronomic Society of Turkey, which has undertaken important studies such as the creation of the gastronomy inventory (ALE) In order to support the unique flavors of our country and local producers, are as follows:
Vice Presidents Başar Eryöner, Esin Sungur, General Secretary Nazlı Kalmuk,
Accountant Oya Emerk, Members Defne Ertan Tüysüzoğlu, Murat Güllü, Selda Ayşe
Güleç, Sema Targıt Akbaşak, Ülkü Kahraman.

Information about Gastronomic Society of Turkey

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2020, the Gastronomic Society of Turkey was established to reveal all the features of our culinary riches, eating, drinking and presentation etiquette by conducting and commissioning scientific research. Promoting our cuisine at home and abroad, organizing trainings in this field, monitoring developments in food and beverage, and encouraging such studies are among the founding purposes of the association.

The association supports scientific research on Turkish cuisine, prepares various publications, organizes panels, conferences and trips, and also organizes gastronomically rich meals where menus prepared within the framework of predetermined themes are served. Gastronomic Society of Turkey emphasizes the importance of determining the quality standards, production regions and criteria of Turkey's local, unique flavors with panels titled "Geographical Indication System" (Appelation d'origine Controlée).

Gastronomic Society of Turkey, which organizes the Golden Spoon Gastronomy Awards in order to be a reference point in the field of gastronomy and to encourage successful individuals and organizations, has launched the Restaurant Management and Culinary Culture Certificate Programs in cooperation with the first online Turkish University Netkent Akdeniz Research and Science University.
Alparslan Baloğlu

He started going to neighborhood markets with his grandmother at the age of seven. He made his first pickle with the peppers they bought from one of those markets, in the first grade of primary school, in the Life Sciences class. He spent twenty years of his life at Sapanca Primary School, Bursa/Namık Kemal Primary School, Bursa Boys' High School, Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts Painting Department, University of London,
He spent his time at Goldsmith College of Art with generally good memories and friendships. Yurt içinde ve yurt dışında karma sergilere katıldı, Participated in group exhibitions at home and abroad, he opened his personal exhibition in 1993 at Ataturk Library. He was invited to the International Sinopale Art Biennial twice. Since 1985, he has been working with his brother at the A4 Offset Printing House he founded. He teaches "Printing Techniques" in Mimar Sinan University Faculty of Fine Arts, Graphic Department since 1998.
In order to find the final formula for the meatball restaurant called "Hain Köfte", which he founded with a relative and his brother in 1999, he kneaded 90 kg of minced meat, cooked the meatballs he kneaded each time for his friends, and eventually developed the formula with no one other than himself, his brother and his third partners.
He created the delicious and delicious "Hain Köfte" that no one knows about the formula. When it was his turn to knead, he kneaded it every three days for three years... In 2003, he completed this task, which he could not spare as much time as he wanted, he handed it over to someone else along with the three line "Traitor Meatball" formula.
While his problem with eating and drinking continued without finding any solution, his path crossed with the Gastronomic Society of Turkey in 2008. Between 2014 and 2022, he worked as a member Board of Directors for four terms under the president of Zeynep Kakınç.
He was elected President of the Gastronomic Society of Turkey on February 27, 2022. His interest in gastronomy and culinary culture continues to increase, and he still makes his own pickles with great pleasure.

For detailed information:
www.mddmutfakdostlari@gmail.com
www.mutfakdostlari.org.tr

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Gastronomic Society of Turkey held its 15th Ordinary General Assembly last week, where the new board of directors was elected. Communications consultant and journalist Zeynep Kakınç, who assumed the presidency in the 2014-2015 term, will continue her presidency for the 3rd consecutive term with the new board of directors.

Founded in 1991, Gastronomic Society of Turkey, one of Turkey's longstanding civil society organizations, has elected its new board of directors and president.

Zeynep Kakınç, who has been elected president for the third consecutive term since 2014 and is known for her significant gastronomy projects, stated, "I am honored to serve as president of our association, which is the oldest civil society organization in our field. In addition to our ongoing projects such as the Anatolian Flavor Inventory (ALE), which we started in previous terms and carried out meticulously, we will accelerate our new initiatives that support kitchen culture, local products, and producers."

The distribution of other positions in the new board of directors of Gastronomic Society of Turkey is as follows: Vice Presidents Osman Serim, Nedim Atilla, General Secretary Esin Sungur, Treasurer Başar Eryöner, Members Alparslan Baloğlu, Ebru Erke, Oya Emerk, and Yakup Şensoy.

About Gastronomic Society of Turkey:

Established to uncover and promote the richness of Turkish cuisine, dining etiquette, and culinary culture through scientific research and educational activities, Gastronomic Society of Turkey organizes events, publishes various materials, hosts panels, conferences, and culinary tours to support and promote Turkish cuisine both domestically and internationally. The association emphasizes the importance of Geographic Indication System (Appelation d'origine Controlée) panels in highlighting the quality standards, production regions, and criteria of Turkey's regional and unique flavors.

Success of ESSEDRA and ALE Projects: In previous years, Gastronomic Society of Turkey became the Turkish partner of the ESSEDRA Project, co-implemented by Slow Food and various NGOs in Balkan countries, focusing on food, sustainable rural development, and environmental issues. Throughout the project, "Presidia" studies were conducted to bring producers together under one roof, create new market opportunities for them, and preserve the future of local producers by giving their products the value they deserve. As an extension of the project, the Anatolian Flavor Inventory (ALE) was initiated, adding a total of 59 traditional food products from Anatolia that are at risk of disappearing to the list. It is planned to add even more products to the list as the process progresses.

For more information, you can contact:

Phone: 0 216 506 17 39; 0 544 947 0019

Email: www.mddmutfakdostlari@gmail.com

Website: www.mutfakdostlari.org.tr

Click here to download the press release.

Faruk ŞÜYÜN / FOCUS

art@dunya.com

21.10.2011 – 09:15

Every year, on the third Saturday of October, "Istanbul's Bluefish Festival" will be celebrated... Ah, among the troubled news, I said, it's one of the rare good things... This year, "Istanbul's Bluefish Festival" was celebrated last Saturday (October 15th). The aim was to raise awareness about fish consumption and to sustain the movement initiated to prevent the extinction of bluefish, one of Istanbul's symbols.

Defne Koryürek, the founder of the "Gastronomic Society of Turkey" group, and industry officials supporting the project were inviting the public to be cautious and report establishments selling fish below 20 cm to the Ministry of Agriculture's Food Hotline at number 174.

A movement I've been following from the beginning, one of the largest civil society movements in recent years, has been successful in raising the bluefish fishing limit to 20 cm, although not the desired 24...

At these days when the festival was celebrated, the invitation from Ahmet Örs, President of the "Gastronomic Society of Turkey," was appropriate to the significance of the day. Örs invited the association members to a dinner on the same subject.

The invitation at Kuruçeşme Arşipel Fish Restaurant passed with delicious appetizers, and it peaked with a perfectly cooked, well-kept bluefish of about 20 cm served to over a hundred people at the same time...

The menu of appetizers, consisting of wedge marinated fish, authentic fish roe, raw fish, octopus, white cheese, melon, cuttlefish (cooked with its ink), stuffed mussels, pickled fish, stuffed squid, samphire, and sea asparagus, was a bit salty for me, and I must say some of them were fridge-cold... But they were fresh, and the necessary care was taken to ensure they were delicious.

The main course was grilled calamari, and the dessert, except for the use of ready-made sauce, was a perfect pear tart...

In being able to eat a 20 cm bluefish, as Ahmet Örs pointed out in his invitation letter, "chefs who have not put bluefish even in their kitchens for two whole years, even in their legal sizes, have played a major role. They have been the greatest supporters of this civil society movement."

So why insist on 20, even 24 cm?

Starting at the end of September, bluefish begin to spawn in the Black Sea, and they start passing through the Istanbul Strait during this period. This extremely delicious fish, from small to large, is called anchovy, sand smelt, horse mackerel, bluefish, whiting, horse mackerel, and black-backed in order... What is desired is not to catch the mother-to-be fish that are not yet bluefish, so they can continue to spawn and perpetuate their species. Because the ideal size for bluefish to spawn is after 20 cm...

The movement initiated by Defne Koryürek and her friends, not only for bluefish but also for many symbols of Istanbul that are disappearing, such as Judas trees and the source waters, has been forced to focus primarily on bluefish with the participation of Greenpeace Mediterranean and the young fish project... And with the growing participation, the movement, which has grown like an avalanche, eventually succeeds in making the decision of 20 cm...

Having successfully passed the exam for bluefish, the goal of Defne Koryürek and her friends now includes Istanbul's other values, which I mentioned above, and similar ones. They will try to preserve them without turning them into an organization or association... Of course, without neglecting to follow the ban on bluefish...

What we need to do in this regard is to measure the size of the bluefish we buy or receive on our plates with our own hands and call 174 to take legal action if it is below 20 cm...

Because the real challenge is to ensure the enforcement of the rules... Otherwise, as with many laws, regulations, and directives that exist but unfortunately cannot be implemented, the decisions made here may also go to waste...

Be the first to learn about developments in agriculture.

Sevim Gökyıldız / Türkiye Newspaper

Gastronomic Society of Turkey introduced 7 meatballs from 7 regions in the event organized to explain "Turkey's Meatballs". After the meal, plaques were given to the chefs who served their local meatballs.

Turkey is known as a vegetable and fruit paradise with its fertile soil and unique vegetation. If we look at our cuisine, our country is a meatball paradise... at the same time
We can count hundreds of types of meatballs, known by local names throughout our geography, with significant differences among them. It is not possible to encounter this rich diversity even in the most prominent world cuisines. Meatballs constitute one of the most unique categories of both our national and local cuisines. It is not limited to meat that has been ground or finely chopped and then shaped; A huge generic classification that extends to vegetables such as bulgur and lentils and even fish and seafood bears this name. Among this richness, we know, know and eat street meatballs, which are mostly cooked with the grill or kebab technique, and home-made meatballs, which are generally added to pot dishes. It is possible to make a rich, satisfying meal by adding other ingredients to a little meat. This shows the economic side of meatballs. The ingredients and spices you add add flavor and aroma. It is quite easy to prepare.

7 VARIETIES FROM 7 REGIONS

Here, on the evening of Wednesday, March 7, "Turkey's Meatballs" were explained, cooked and tasted at a special night organized by Gastronomic Society of Turkey at TAV Airport Hotel. 7 main types of meatballs from 7 regions of our country were prepared by expert masters. Those who could not come in person due to distance sent their special recipes along with the video footage. The experienced staff of the Airport Hotel also applied these recipes exactly. The meatball feast started at the cocktail party. Those served on small plates were the first thing that came to our mind. But the real feast showed itself when we got to our tables. 7 different meatballs paraded one after another. Meatball plates came out hot from the kitchen and were delivered to us with a fast, uninterrupted service. All delicious, all different, all authentic. In order; Analı kizlı from Gaziantep, Akçaabat meatballs, Tekirdağ meatballs, boiled Antakya meatballs, Antalya shish meatballs, Ağrı Abdigor meatballs, Tire meatballs.

SPECIAL TASTE

The recipe for each meatball we came across was explained by the master and the ingredients were given. Eating on purpose is very different. You examine your plate first by its appearance, then you smell it, then you start chewing a small piece. TYou arrive at the name. Since taste varies from person to person, each of us had a different rating. My top choices were Akçaabat and Antalya shish meatballs. Maybe the reason for my preference is that they are both cooked on the grill and I am a fan of grilling. When you read the 7 names, “There are so many meatballs, is that all?” you will say. According to the city name, Izmir meatballs, İnegöl meatballs, Adana meatballs, Plovdiv meatballs, Adapazarı islama meatballs. According to the cooking technique, stuffed meatballs, dalyan meatballs, juicy meatballs, bayanbudu meatballs. According to the ingredients inside; fish meatballs, bulgur meatballs, sour meatballs, chicken meatballs.

AYRAN AND SİRA

Ayran and sira must were drank throughout the meal. Both are two traditional drinks that go well with meatballs. Especially sira since must is difficult to both make and store, it is not available in abundance anymore. Essentially, sira is fresh fermented grape juice. If fermentation continues, the alcohol content increases and it can turn into wine. This should be noted. Sira is obtained from ripe grapes using different methods. Preserving the sira without spoiling is only possible by pasteurizing it. If the sira is boiled and molasses soil is added to it, it becomes molasses. Sira is a refreshing, delicious and healing drink.
After the meatballs, three different desserts were served. Pumpkin dessert, semolina halva and fresh, sweet curd drizzled with black mulberry jam. Then the thanksgiving ceremony, which has become a tradition for Gastronomic Society of Turkey, began. President Ahmet Örs first presented a plaque to each of the meatball masters who came from far away to attend the night. Dear readers, find a recipe from your region or your own notes and make your meatballs after this article. Enjoy your meal!

Ahmet Örs / Sabah Newspaper

In a relief unearthed during the Karatepe excavations in the north of Adana, we see the Hittite King Asitavata, who lived in the 8th century BC, eating meatballs. While his servants cooled the king with fans and ensured that he was not disturbed by the flies wandering around; The king is snacking on his meatballs accompanied by music. In the relief, three meatballs in a bowl attract attention. The king holds the fourth meatball in his left hand and reaches for the pita with his right hand. Behind him, servants are lined up waiting to offer wine. According to archaeologist Ekrem Akurgal, the meatballs eaten by the Hittite king exactly 2,900 years ago are nothing more than the raw meatballs widely consumed throughout Turkey today. Various sources write that more than 290 types of meatballs, varying more or less from each other, are eaten in our country. Recently, Gastronomic Society of Turkey brought together a small section of these meatballs under the title of 'Turkey's Meatballs' at the restaurant of TAV Airport Hotel at Atatürk Airport. Perhaps for the first time, 11 different meatballs were prepared in one meal by masters from all over Turkey, whose fame extends beyond their region, and they were tasted hot. It is useful to remember; Meatballs are not just made with ground or finely chopped meat. It is also prepared with vegetables such as bulgur, lentils, and even fish and seafood. Others, such as stuffed meatballs, combine several ingredients in a single meatball. Meatballs, which can be cut into pieces or skewered and grilled or panned, can also be cooked on a tray or in a pot, and can even be consumed raw.

MEATBALLS WITH GARLIC DOUGH

Homemade meatballs, which are among the pot dishes, and street meatballs made with the grill or kebab technique, are among the dishes that are on the rise, especially in times of crisis, and are reasonably priced but enjoyed by everyone from seven to seventy. Undoubtedly, there are meatballs in world cuisines too. But I have never come across such a rich variety of meatballs in any kitchen as we do. These are our very important culinary wealth. Gastronomic Society of Turkey's meatball feast started with Urfa's raw meatballs and Hatay's revenge in the cocktail. Among the spreads included in the meal were lentil meatballs and spinach priest meatballs. Then the official parade of important meatballs started. The first plate included Gaziantep's 'mother and daughter', prepared by Develi's master Erdal Terlemez. Akçaabat meatballs followed this troublesome dish, which is usually made collaboratively in the region. Nihat Usta, the well-known meatball maker of the region, appointed his assistant Hasan Karlı. The biggest difference between the meatballs he prepared and presented and the other Tekirdağ meatballs was that garlic was added to the dough. Tekirdağ meatballs, prepared and cooked by master Gökhan Özdemir from "Tekirdağ Özcanlar Köftecisi", were one of our first dishes to receive a geographical indication and the most well-known example of Balkan meatballs.

PRESENTED WITH POMEGRANATE SOUR SAUCE

The next boiled dish, Antakya fast, was from the stuffed meatballs category. Ömer Sarı from Hatay Sofrası in Istanbul served this meatball with pomegranate syrup sauce. This was followed by Antalya shish meatballs on tahini blarney made by Erhan Aytekin from meatball restaurant Şişçi Ramazan in Antalya. Then, Ağrı's Abdigor meatballs, the product of intense labor by Zafer Ertürk from Kiva Restaurant, came to the table. This, like raw meatballs, is one of the oldest meatballs in Anatolia. After refreshing the palate with karsambaç made with molasses, the last course was the delicious Tire meatballs prepared by master Sami Çolak from Tire's Hacıoğlu Mangal meatball restaurant. That evening, we felt the significant differences in taste between the meatballs, which had almost the same ingredients. Considering that these meatballs, which filled us up even though they were served little by little, did not even reach one-30th of the varieties consumed all over our country, we were once again proud of the richness of Turkish cuisine.

FROM CIRCASSIAN FOOD TO THE OLIVE TREE…
Organized by Gastronomic Society of Turkey with the support of Şamil Cultural Foundation
At 'Circassian Night', we learned not only about their food but also about the food-related rituals of the Circassians, who are famous for their cultural ceremonies. By the way, we also listened to the 'huahos' of thamade sitting in the jant-e, that is, the opening speech of the 'food manager' sitting in the corner of the head!

Last week was a very fruitful day for gastronomy enthusiasts. First, we witnessed the 'Circassian Night' organized by Gastronomic Society of Turkey with the support of Şamil Cultural Foundation; Then to 'Olivtech', the most important olive-olive oil fair of our country... In this fair, which was held with the support of the National Olive and Olive Oil Council, issues that concern almost everyone in the olive oil sector in our country were discussed and discussed. The part of the job that interested (enjoyed) me the most was undoubtedly the close relationship between olive oil and healthy living.

First of all, let me start by describing the menu of 'Circassian Night': Circassian chicken (akutıj), Circassian cake (abısta/p'aste), boiled meat (lığıba), liver, cabbage with walnuts (ahulçapa), potato stuffed with sour plum sauce (aphöusesızbal). pastry (haluve), mashed red kidney beans (akudırşı), chicken with sauce (şıp), meat broth (leps), Circassian salt (pırpılcıka/adjika), bread (haluvane), Circassian cheeses and halva…

CAUCASUS TASTES

When Zeynep Kakınç, Secretary General of Gastronomic Society of Turkey, who organized the event, was of Circassian origin, all the Circassian ladies came to the dinner at Adile Sultan Mansion and one of the most interesting ethnic dinner invitations of recent years emerged. Today, the definition of 'Circassian cuisine' is generally used to emphasize the cuisines of the North Caucasian peoples (such as Adygea/Kabardey, Abkhaz, Ubukh, Ossetian, Chechen, Avar, Lezgi, Lak) who were settled in many provinces of the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the 19th century. We know that these ethnic groups, after the 'Great Circassian Exile' in 1864, were settled by the Ottoman Empire from the Arabian Peninsula to Palestine, then to the Balkan countries and almost everywhere in Western Anatolia.
Because they have shared the same geography throughout the ages, the traditions, behaviors, customs, traditions, myths, value judgments and finally the culinary cultures of these peoples have become close to each other and mixed with each other, thus new syntheses have emerged.

MEAT-VEGETABLES-GRAINS EQUALLY

Circassian cuisine is practiced with different materials and methods in different regions in its homeland, the North Caucasus. Meat, grains and vegetables are used equally in the cuisine. Meat and dough-based dishes come to the fore in regions where animal husbandry and grain production are intense; We know that in Shapsughia, Ubuhya and Abkhazia on the Black Sea coast, vegetables, some wild plants and river fish, in addition to meat, color this cuisine.
'Sauces' have a very important place in Circassian cuisine... 'sizbal' means 'sauce' in the Abaza/Abkhaz language; In Adige/Circassian language, 'şıps' or 'cips'; In the Ossetian language, the word 'shigdon' is used. The number of dishes served with their own juice is quite low... In sauce making, mostly onion, garlic, walnut, hazelnut, coriander, red pepper, milk, yoghurt and cream, as well as corn, wheat flour, potato, pumpkin, quince, pear, plum, green plum. and cherries are used.

THERE IS A MEAL PRESIDENT!
At the reception that night, we learned that there was a manager, that is, 'thamade', who managed the meal at the Circassian table, and the meal was perceived as a ceremony and this manager determined the entire course of the meal. Thamade always sat in the corner of honor (jant-e); This is the place where everyone who enters and exits the room where the table is set can be seen, that is, it dominates the entire room. The seating areas to the right and left of the ruler were the places for the elders who came after the ruler. Meals were opened with a speech called 'huaho', in which the manager expressed his good wishes. We also listened to a 'huaho'; I must say it is interesting.
In this opening speech, Thamade also touched upon the issue that led to the meeting and then thanked those present for attending the invitation and raised his horn glass. As we left behind a night in which conversation and conversation were delicious as well as food, we witnessed once again that Circassian cuisine is as rich as every color of Anatolia.

YOU SHOULD CONSUME OLIVE OIL BECAUSE…

I should tell you a little about olive oil... Because not a day goes by without a new benefit of olive oil being discovered... As soon as I receive such new information, the first thing I do is to apply to Professor Yahya Laleli; For situation assessment…
I spent a full day with Mr. Yahya at the 'Olive Oil Workshop' organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism a month ago and learned brand new things from him. In his speech, Mr. Yahya said that he discovered the relationship between what human beings eat and their health 1800 years ago, with the theory of 'Body Secretions' of our fellow countryman from Pergamon, Galenos. The great pharmacist-physician Galen said: 'The goal of the physician, nutritionist or self-prescriber is to balance and keep the body secretions in balance. 'He must correctly diagnose the individual's nature and know the nutritional properties of foods.'

After the information I gained from the panels I listened to at the 'Olivtech' Fair and some of which I moderated, I can list the 'confirmed benefits of olive oil' as follows:

– Olive oil prevents the occurrence of some diseases and slows down the development of some diseases.
– Pay attention to the 'biological importance' of olive oil: Olive oil increases cell permeability and therefore insulin sensitivity.
– It supports long life by stimulating the hunger gene.
– It protects against diseases related to arteriosclerosis and facilitates the control of blood pressure; It also helps strengthen the immune system.
– Reduces harmful (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides; It increases beneficial cholesterol (HDL).
– It is good for rheumatic diseases and reduces pain.
– It protects against bowel and breast cancer.
– It slows down the development of ulcers.
– Reduces the effects of radiation/sun.
– It has a low omega 6/omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio and high omega 9 monounsaturated fatty acid level. In other words, it is the elixir of youth.

I find it useful to repeat without getting tired:
For a healthy life, for everyone, at every stage of life; 'We should consume good olive oil without getting fat' during the mother's preparation for birth, in infancy, from infancy to adolescence, in youth, maturity and old age.

Nedim Atilla
Akşam Newspaper – Anatolian Cuisine Column

AYDAN ÜSTKANAT

It is said that "Circassian food is very good", but it seems like most of us do not know much beyond Circassian chicken when we say this. I'm sorry to say that I am included in this group. However, there are dozens of flavors in this cuisine such as leps, ahulçapa and lığıva. I discovered it late!

“Oh our God! We pray to you to preserve this table, whose consent comes before everything else and which is filled with your sustenance, this family that has opened it to us, the bravery of its men, the kindness of its women, and the taste of its food, and to keep it alive as the most generous of all people for thousands of years.” While this text was flowing through the barcovision reflected on the wall of the high-ceilinged hall, the soft voice of a tall Circassian gentleman with snow-white hair filled my ears. I was at the Circassian table a few nights ago. On a big table! I was invited to one of the historical nights organized by Gastronomic Society of Turkey. The architect of the night was Zeynep Kakınç.

When it comes to Circassian food, I never realized that I only knew smoked cheese and Circassian chicken, that is, my knowledge was so shallow. Since I am trying their food for the first time, I have no intention of making judgments about their taste, but from now on, when I think of the Circassian table, I will definitely think of the rituals rather than the food!

Customs, rituals... A sophisticated life that makes the table meaningful, beyond just being satisfied... The customs of the dinner table affect me a lot. It makes a job that is actually extremely brutal but essential for life, elegant. Table rituals are a tribute to nature and the land and they deeply affect life. Circassian table rituals were amazing in this sense.

INDISPENSABLE SOUR PLUM SAUCE
That night, a Circassian lady was sitting next to me. Despite her advanced age, she added even more beauty to the meal with her lively eyes and smiling face. As I listened to what he said, I felt like I was reading an encyclopedia. Later, when I learned that she was the mother of one of my close friends, our conversation became even deeper.
On the tables were two Circassian cheeses, one of which was smoked, small breads and hot pepper pate called Pırpılcıka or Circassian salt. Don't think that it is salty by looking at its name, it is very delicious... The service started with Circassian chicken, accompanied by a corn flour cake called abiasta. Abısta was an indispensable part of the Circassian table, served as bread. I learned its form, called achamuka, from the lady next to me. Today's 'Our Family's Dish' recipe will be from Mualla Çelikkan.

Circassian chicken was also made with slight differences among the Caucasian peoples. I didn't eat the coriander one. The flavor of the Circassian chicken, made from crushed coriander grains, was very different. Afterwards, we tasted the lığıva (boiled meat) that comes with aphöuse, or sour plum sauce. Sour plum sauce was made from green plums that started to ripen around May. Plums were boiled in a huge pot, and when they became mushy, they were sieved and stored in jars for later use. It was flavored and mixed with strained yoghurt, cream, walnuts or coriander and served as a sauce alongside the meal. It is the most important sauce of Circassian cuisine.

Ahulçapa (black cabbage with walnuts) was served afterwards. An appetizer made by thoroughly mashing boiled cabbage with plenty of coriander, strained yoghurt, walnuts, garlic, onion and chili peppers. I really liked the haluve, potato-stuffed, deep-fried pastries that followed. The biggest surprise of the night, which ended with akurdırşışı (kidney bean paste) and şips (chicken with sauce), was the leps served between the main course and dessert.

WE PUT THE POINT WITH HALVA

Before dessert, some cuisines prepare bite-sized treats that will soothe the stomach and balance the taste buds. This is the ritual of those kitchens. Bites may be sorbet in some kitchens, pickles in some kitchens and cheese in others, but this was the first time I saw the broth ritual. Yes, you read it right! Leps was broth. It is mixed with milk and served in small glasses with sprinkles and dried dough pieces on top. Then the meal ends with any dessert. That night's meal was punctuated by halva served with ice cream, which resembles deep-fried cookie dough.
All the dishes I tasted throughout the night had their own unique characteristics. Their common feature was that they were definitely heavy on milk, yoghurt, meat, legumes and coriander. They use both fresh coriander and its seeds in almost all dishes. Every step taken for the lezma of the Circassian cuisine, where hot and sour flavors dominate, is of great importance.

Our family's meal

TODAY'S guest is Mualla Çelikkan, who is of Circassian origin. She is a true culinary master... She loves to try different things, she says, "I make up practical and brand new recipes in two minutes, my grandchildren love them." However, they also attach great importance to passing on, explaining and feeding their own culture to their grandchildren. All the dishes he prepares at the dinner parties he hosts are legendary...

Acamuka Cheese Corn Flour Cake
Boil five glasses of water, add 250 grams of butter and start melting. Slowly add three cups of corn flour into it with some salt. When it starts to solidify, you can use a blender to make the job more practical. It should be like a jelly, but if it is too solid you can add some water. At this stage, add half a kilo of string cheese or aged kashar and serve with the meal when the cheese melts.

AHULÇAPA Cabbage with walnuts
Wash three bunches of black cabbage and boil them with one onion and one head of garlic, adding salt. Drain the sprouts and chop them in the food processor. Add half a kilo of finely ground walnuts, three tablespoons of strained yoghurt, a teaspoon of chili peppers, three-four cloves of crushed garlic, very finely chopped fresh coriander or crushed coriander seeds, preferably mix with walnut oil (or olive oil) and serve with achamuka.

Don't miss the amazing prizes
BWould you like your recipe to be included in Our Family's Food column? Then send an e-mail to info@aydanustkanat.com. The top three dishes voted on by a professional jury will win amazing prizes from Homend. You can also participate in Our Family's Food Competition until May 13.

Star Newspaper

Nedim Atilla

At the Water Seminar of the Mutfak Dostları Association, the answer to the question "What is good water?" was sought. Contrary to the experts who have recently said 'drinking water with high pH is healthy', we learned at this meeting that water with low pH is healthier and more delicious. Here is a delightful article from its etymology to tasters in the Ottoman Empire...

As we all know: Civilization began with water. Tigris and Euphrates, Mesopotamian culture; Didn't the Nile River also create Egyptian civilization?
In its simplest definition, it consists of 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen; in liquid state; We call the substance that has no smell, color or taste 'water'. Water, which is necessary and even indispensable for all known forms of life, is of vital importance for the survival of living things. It is found in different forms and in abundance around the world. Three-quarters of both our earth and our bodies are (roughly) water… 71 percent of the earth is covered with water; 97 percent of this is salt water in the oceans, 2.4 percent is glaciers or snow... 6 percent of it is in lakes and rivers...
The reason why I listed so much encyclopedic information is the 'Water Seminar' organized by Gastronomic Society of Turkey last week...
Historian Turgut Kut and Enis Burkut, one of the most important experts on water in our country, were speakers at the seminar. They told us such things and shared so much new - for us - information with us; Everyone who listened felt that we did not know enough about the value of the water we drink (use).

FROM “SUW” TO “SU”

The etymology of the work is important in itself... What I learned from Turgut Kut cannot fit into this corner, but it cannot be done without passing on some of it.
'The Turkish word "su" (water) comes from the word suw, according to Divanü Lugati't-Türk. Its Arabic is ma, its Persian is ab... In Chinese, 'su' is pronounced as 'su-e-i' today. However, the word "su" should not be confused with the Turkish "sü" meaning "soldier". In addition, not every word starting with the su- prefix may be related to water.
For example, the word "subay" (officer) was derived from the combination of the Turkish words sü (soldier) and bay in the early years of the 'Language Revolution'. 'The Latin word for water is aqua, (h)ydor in ancient Greek, and nero in today's Greek... There are hundreds of words derived from these three words in almost all languages ​​of Europe.'
The word 'ab-ı hayat' (water of life), which is frequently used in our language (of Persian origin), is water that is believed to immortalize the drinker and whose source is unknown. Turkish: 'bengisu'… .
Naturally, water has a great place and importance in ancient Turkish mythology. Water is almost the basis that holds and unites the roots of Turkish traditions... For example, since rivers were considered sacred in the ancient Turks, there was a tradition of 'swearing to the stream'; Oath taking ceremonies were performed by drinking water from a stream. Again, it was used in the meaning of 'honour, honor, reputation'; We say 'For the sake of the water on your face'... Also, offering water to those who need it or want it is very valuable in our traditions. That's why we pray, 'May there be many people who give water'...
In his speech, Enis Burkut tried to answer the question "What is good water?", which was wondered by almost everyone who filled the hall of the Academy of Culinary Arts. The water drop that formed in the cloud was 'pure water' at that moment. After it fell to the ground, it was no longer considered 'pure water' because it partially dissolved and absorbed the minerals in the places it passed through, both on the surface and underground.
Depending on the ingredients it contains, its taste will be good or bad. By the way, taste is measured by looking at two values: Hardness and conductivity... Did you know that there is a close relationship between water's ability to conduct electricity and its taste. It is almost impossible for very conductive water to be delicious. Because as the number of minerals in the water increases, the conductivity value of the water increases, but its suitability for taste decreases. Tastes are indisputable, Europeans also love water with high mineral content. The hardness level of the water is related to the amounts of calcium and magnesium in it. The pH level of water is measured by alkaline and acidity values.
In the conversation, which started with questions from the audience, an important issue was touched upon. Because there is a lot of wrong information circulating in the market about this issue; About the pH level of water…

PH DEBATE IN WATER!
Last month, at AKŞAM Pazar, an expert named Gül Kaynak had a talk about the importance of drinking water with high pH. Not only this name, but also some other experts say similar things on this subject, but Enis Burkut said in his speech, "The pH level of the water affects the taste of the water" and added: 'No matter what water we drink, it passes through the stomach and the stomach is an acidic environment; Its pH is around 3.' Mehmet Erbak, who later explained mineral waters, said: 'Low pH, that is, water with a pH level below 7, is healthier water.' and reminded that they recommend lemon water to people with high blood pressure because lemon reduces the pH of the water.

THE WATER WE DRINK
The waters we tasted that evening were evaluated by experts. However, it is worth noting from the beginning that these evaluations do not say whether the waters are good or bad. Because some like light water, some like hard water... Among the ones we tasted, Korusu, Erikli, Pınar Madran, Kestane and Fuska were classified as 'light'. Taşdelen, Hayat, Şekerpınar and Damla Sapanca are also 'medium hard'... Saka, Kardelen and Aytaç were evaluated as 'hard'.
After tasting it, I realized that I like medium hard water more. There was also a water from France branded 'Contrex' with peak mineral content, which should definitely be tried... Tea was brewed in the traditional Turkish tea from very, very hard water; Due to the minerals, an 'oily' liquid emerged and believe me, no one could drink it. Meanwhile, it was frequently and persistently stated that instead of plastic bottles-demijohns, they should immediately switch to glass bottles.
I hope that soon, awareness on this issue will develop and we will have healthier water for our children. I wish you to be as holy as water...

WATER REGULATORY WAS VERY COMMON IN THE OTTOMAN
Nowadays, water tasting and degustation is very common in Europe and the USA, but it is a forgotten and neglected activity in our country. During the Ottoman period, both local water tasters and people coming from Europe would taste the waters of Istanbul and Bursa and report back.
First of all, it is necessary to mention Captain Helmuth von Moltke, who came from Prussia at the request of Mahmud I. The letters that Moltke sent to his country between 1835-1839 and in which he also conveyed his impressions in Turkey were published under the name 'Letters / 1835-1839'. We come across the following interesting lines in the letter he sent from Büyükdere on October 20, 1836: 'Just as wine connoisseurs in our country discover the vineyard and year of the wine by tasting it, so when a Turk tastes a drink of water, he will tell you that it comes from this or that, especially popular spring; It tells us whether it was taken from Çamlıca, Bulgurlu on the Asian side, Kestane water near Büyükdere, or Sultan water in Beykoz. The water that the Turks consider the worst, even harmful to health and almost undrinkable, is well water. Istanbul is built on rocky, high land surrounded by the sea. 'The wells dug there yield very little and bitter water.'

EIGHT CONDITIONS OF GOOD WATER
1- Boiling and flowing over stones or gizzards.
2- It flows from the slope and goes down.
3- It should be light in weight, light in the stomach, and moderately stable in heat and cold.
4- It comes out very quickly.
5- Protecting its abundance and abundance from being corrupted by the noisy flow.
6- It has a very good taste and flavour.
7- The height of the water source and the absence of anything on it to block the wind and sun.
8- The flow direction is from south to north or west to east...

Akşam Newspaper