This dish is cooked in special clay ovens in old Tokat houses made especially for this purpose. From its
preparations to its cooking and serving, Tokat kebab is a ritual. Not lending itself to commercial
production, it is a cultural treasure left by people who are passionate about the dish. The oven is an
indispensable item in the gardens of Tokat, and the ability to make these ovens is considered a mark
of special skillfulness. Each implement used in cooking Tokat kebab requires masterful craftsmanship.
Contrary to what one might think, it is an easy-to-digest dish because of the dry heat in which it is
cooked. Looking into the past, we see that Tokat kebab was made in ovens that were heated from
the outside, and never had a fire inside them. Later on, as Tokat kebab gained commercial
dimensions, it began to be cooked with oak wood, and this has continued to the present day. Tokat
kebab is not really Tokat kebab without local tomatoes and peppers, Tokat lamb, and it cannot be
made in a metal oven. Unfortunately it continues to fall from its former heights as it is made more
and more commercially. Much can be written and said about Tokat kebab, but nothing short of
tasting a well-made Tokat kebab prepared with quality ingredients.