It is January 1, 2024 and fitting that I should be wrapping up my reflections on my culinary tour to Turkey with my own memories of “friends and family” New Year’s Day traditions. Ten days of culinary travel in Turkey and the powerful communal experience of preparing and enjoying food reminded me of valued traditions … Lessons from the Turkish Kitchen (4 of 4) READ MORE »

Midway through our ten-day culinary journey in Turkey, we took a three-day detour into the history, art and culture of the Northern Aegean, a geographical crossroads where peoples from across the globe have flourished and fought over many centuries. In small towns and on farms, we learned directly from the producers – Anatolian Artisans’ Soma … Turkey’s Northern Aegean Region – Crossroads of Creativity and Conflict (3 of 4) READ MORE »

Chef Semsa Denizsel has been called the “Alice Waters of Turkey” because she shares the same farm-to-table sensibilities and, like Waters, is passionate about teaching them. Even at her former Istanbul restaurant Kantin, which was celebrated for simple but sophisticated food, she ventured to farmers markets and talked to growers to expand sourcing and enliven … Farm-to-Table Cooking with Chef Semsa Denizsel (2 of 4) READ MORE »

Culinary travel is popular in Turkey and for good reason. Its multi-faceted cuisine – which has evolved over 2000 years of migration, invasion and trade – is one of the world’s major cuisines, along with French and Chinese. While many people are more familiar with French Provencal, Greek or North African cooking as “Mediterranean,” in … Culinary Travel in Turkey – a Deep Dive into Turkish Culture (1 of 4) READ MORE »