Destination Golf Turkey 2015 2015 | Page 16

TURKISH DELIGHTS Turkey might well be the “King of the Kebab”, but Turkish cuisine provides one of the most diverse culinary experiences for international visitors. Many Turkish resorts offer an all-inclusive product and even if they don’t, half board is common, making it attractive for tourists to eat dinner served in cavernous dining rooms. Taking all your meals in such complexes may make sense when you are far from local towns, or for first-time visitors. But those that stay on site might be missing out. Eating out is an exciting part of a Turkish holiday experience. It is inexpensive and it would be a shame to miss an opportunity to try one of the world’s great cuisines. When you ask the concierge for a restaurant with no tourists, he will be only too happy to make a recommendation. One of the keys to the success of Turkish Destination Golf Turkey | Page 14 cuisine is that the country has the resources and variety of climate to grow almost every ingredient required in the kitchen. Many pantry staples were first grown here, notably the grains that feed the world. The asparagus, artichokes, celeries, cucumbers, cabbages, chicory, eggplants, leeks, mallow, okra, onions, parsley, peppers, pursiane, radish, rocket and zuchinis that we eat today were often first cultivated here. When you want diversity in cuisine, follow tradition. Turkish food in Anatolia and Thrace, the very places where Turkish folklore is strongest, offers the greatest variety of ingredients and dishes. Turkish cuisine is built around the grains, legumes, and various types of fruits and vegetables as well as mutton, beef, chicken and partridge. Each of the Turkish regions uses their particular ingredients to suit different local tastes. Breads will differ in every region according to form, flavour and ingredients. Before local sourcing became trendy, this was the norm with Turkish regional cuisines. It demonstrates their passion for food.