In New York, Turkish food is becoming very popular, and Turkish restaurants are popping up all over the city. Turkish food is simple, diverse, and very creative. It is also vibrant, tasty, fresh, and healthy. Its foundation is grains: from bread to börek (thin paper sheets of dough and stuffed with meat mixes or cheese) with wheat flour dough, to cracked wheat and rice pilaf. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts are major staples as well. Eggplant is an abundant vegetable in Turkey and is prepared in numerous ways. It has been said, “If you want to frustrate a Turk, ask how to prepare eggplant.” Turkish food also has many varieties of “kebab,” delicious grilled meats that go back thousands of years to when nomadic Turks grilled and roasted meat over campfires.
Turkey is surrounded by many seas and has a multitude of choices regarding fish dishes. The emphasis in Turkish cuisine is on taste first, then balance and harmony. When you are in a Turkish home or a Turkish restaurant, allow yourself ample time to savor the fare of unusual and tasty dishes. Most Turkish restaurants have the same menu. What changes, is the style of the chef and the signature touches he can put on those traditional items.
