History of Turkish Baklava

History of Turkish Baklava

If there's one traditional dessert worth trying out when you step inside a Turkish restaurant, it has got to be Turkish Baklava. This sweet and delicious treat is often considered as a "national dessert" for much of Turkey and even most Mediterranean countries.

Let's take a quick look at its history and how this tasty dessert cuisine has become a staple in most Turkish meals today.

History

There's no clear, defining mark on where and when Baklava was first made. All we know is that much of the Middle East, Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Balkans and of course, Turks, all claim the Baklava as their national dessert.

Most of these countries actually belonged to the Ottoman Empire so it's safe to say that it originated as an Ottoman dessert. There is still quite a bit of contention with this especially since the Ottoman Empire is mostly associated with "Turks," the Greeks and Arabs aren't particularly fond of this idea.

Whether it first started in the empire or not, there is no doubt that it's modern form has evolved from the Ottoman period. In fact, during the 17th century, it was so popular that a palace tradition known as "baklava alayi" (parade) was held. In the festival, janissaries marched into the palace every 15th day of the Ramadan to gather trays of baklava. There would be one baklava for every ten soldiers as prepared by the palace cooks.

Modern Baklava

Today, there are specialty stores that sell only Baklava. Turkish food restaurants and specialty shops often serve this dish in their own twist. However, the very basic contains a stack of phyllo pastry (a thin crust of dough) that's stuffed by a variety of chopped nuts and then sweetened by honey or syrup.

Each restaurant has their own unique way of serving up the dish. For a purely Turkish Baklava, Antep is the city that claims to serve the most authentic baklava there is. This is known as the baklava and pistachio capital of the country and most chefs and experts claim to be from here.

This can have several varieties. It's mostly the stuffing that differs though. Some prefer walnuts while others would rather have pistachio; there's also a hazelnut version served up in most of the Black Sea region that is also worth mentioning.

If you visit a Turkish restaurant; you'll surely find baklava on the menu and it's definitely a must-try so don't miss it.

If you are in the New York, Manhattan area, get your filling of this tasty treat right over at AnTalia Restaurant. This is "the" place to visit for authentic Turkish food and Mediterranean cuisine to help indulge your senses.

View the original article here

Top 5 Five Vegan Turkish Foods

For the unfamiliar, Turkish food often means meat and kebabs, but did you know it's actually quite easy to find stress free vegan food in Turkey, or even close to home, in a Turkish restaurant.

If you are ready to expand your palette, then here's five delicious and purely vegan Turkish food to watch out for on your next visit.

1. Menemen (Turkish Omelet)

If you don't mind eating egg with your vegan diet, the Menemen is a tasty Turkish dish to try out. It's essentially a Turkish omelet that's spicy and filled with healthy onions, tomatoes and green peppers. In Turkey, this is considered a breakfast meal and often sold right around bus stations or diners. Like most Turkish dishes, better get plenty of bread to go with this so you can enjoy and soak up the leftover juices as well.

2. Gozleme - (Crepe)

The Gozleme isn't the most common Turkish food out there, especially if you head out to a restaurant but if they do serve this then go for it. The Gozleme is a flavorless crepe that comes stuffed with oodles of veggies. There are quite a few varieties; it can be stuffed with spinach (ispnakli) or potatoes (patatesli.) If you are a strict vegan and avoid dairy products, make sure to ask for a gozleme that has no cheese (peynirsiz.)

3. Cig Kofte (Raw Meatballs)

Don't freak out. I assure you there's no meat in this next dish. Yes, the name is quite deceptive but until recently, Cig Kofte was made using traditional meat. However, if you visit Turkey, meaty cig kofte are quite uncommon and sometimes even banned. The spicy vegetarian variety, however, is probably the only thing you'll encounter if you go looking for it in Turkish street corners or restaurants.

The dish is made from bulgur, tomatoes and red pepper paste. If you want to be sure, just ask if it's the vegan version and if there's no meat inside.

4. Ev Yemekleri ((Home Cooking)

Now, this one isn't so much a dish but more of where you'll find a great possibility of vegan dishes being served. Even though foreigners sometimes associate Turkish food with meat, in truth, home cooked meals are actually more vegan friendly than most think. In majority of Ev Yemekleri restaurants, expect a good variety of purely vegan dishes up for grabs.

5. Cezerye

For Turkish street explorers who want to munch on something as they go, the Cezerye is the perfect vegan treat to have. This strange, brightly colored snack is made from carrots that have been cooked for a long period until all the sweetness from the vegetable has condensed. It is then peppered with hazelnuts or walnuts.

There you have it! Next time you step inside a Turkish restaurant or find yourself on the streets of Turkey, don't worry, there's always a vegan meal waiting for you.

If you prefer to let your palette do the exploring, there are plenty of Turkish restaurants in New York. AnTalia Restaurant serves authentic cuisine of Turkey perfect for your vegan cravings. Drop by and treat your taste buds to vegan Turkish food bliss.

View the original article here

Top 5 Five Vegan Turkish Foods

For the unfamiliar, Turkish food often means meat and kebabs, but did you know it's actually quite easy to find stress free vegan food in Turkey, or even close to home, in a Turkish restaurant.

If you are ready to expand your palette, then here's five delicious and purely vegan Turkish food to watch out for on your next visit.

1. Menemen (Turkish Omelet)

If you don't mind eating egg with your vegan diet, the Menemen is a tasty Turkish dish to try out. It's essentially a Turkish omelet that's spicy and filled with healthy onions, tomatoes and green peppers. In Turkey, this is considered a breakfast meal and often sold right around bus stations or diners. Like most Turkish dishes, better get plenty of bread to go with this so you can enjoy and soak up the leftover juices as well.

2. Gozleme - (Crepe)

The Gozleme isn't the most common Turkish food out there, especially if you head out to a restaurant but if they do serve this then go for it. The Gozleme is a flavorless crepe that comes stuffed with oodles of veggies. There are quite a few varieties; it can be stuffed with spinach (ispnakli) or potatoes (patatesli.) If you are a strict vegan and avoid dairy products, make sure to ask for a gozleme that has no cheese (peynirsiz.)

3. Cig Kofte (Raw Meatballs)

Don't freak out. I assure you there's no meat in this next dish. Yes, the name is quite deceptive but until recently, Cig Kofte was made using traditional meat. However, if you visit Turkey, meaty cig kofte are quite uncommon and sometimes even banned. The spicy vegetarian variety, however, is probably the only thing you'll encounter if you go looking for it in Turkish street corners or restaurants.

The dish is made from bulgur, tomatoes and red pepper paste. If you want to be sure, just ask if it's the vegan version and if there's no meat inside.

4. Ev Yemekleri ((Home Cooking)

Now, this one isn't so much a dish but more of where you'll find a great possibility of vegan dishes being served. Even though foreigners sometimes associate Turkish food with meat, in truth, home cooked meals are actually more vegan friendly than most think. In majority of Ev Yemekleri restaurants, expect a good variety of purely vegan dishes up for grabs.

5. Cezerye

For Turkish street explorers who want to munch on something as they go, the Cezerye is the perfect vegan treat to have. This strange, brightly colored snack is made from carrots that have been cooked for a long period until all the sweetness from the vegetable has condensed. It is then peppered with hazelnuts or walnuts.

There you have it! Next time you step inside a Turkish restaurant or find yourself on the streets of Turkey, don't worry, there's always a vegan meal waiting for you.

If you prefer to let your palette do the exploring, there are plenty of Turkish restaurants in New York. AnTalia Restaurant serves authentic cuisine of Turkey perfect for your vegan cravings. Drop by and treat your taste buds to vegan Turkish food bliss.

View the original article here

History of Turkish Baklava

History of Turkish Baklava

If there's one traditional dessert worth trying out when you step inside a Turkish restaurant, it has got to be Turkish Baklava. This sweet and delicious treat is often considered as a "national dessert" for much of Turkey and even most Mediterranean countries.

Let's take a quick look at its history and how this tasty dessert cuisine has become a staple in most Turkish meals today.

History

There's no clear, defining mark on where and when Baklava was first made. All we know is that much of the Middle East, Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Balkans and of course, Turks, all claim the Baklava as their national dessert.

Most of these countries actually belonged to the Ottoman Empire so it's safe to say that it originated as an Ottoman dessert. There is still quite a bit of contention with this especially since the Ottoman Empire is mostly associated with "Turks," the Greeks and Arabs aren't particularly fond of this idea.

Whether it first started in the empire or not, there is no doubt that it's modern form has evolved from the Ottoman period. In fact, during the 17th century, it was so popular that a palace tradition known as "baklava alayi" (parade) was held. In the festival, janissaries marched into the palace every 15th day of the Ramadan to gather trays of baklava. There would be one baklava for every ten soldiers as prepared by the palace cooks.

Modern Baklava

Today, there are specialty stores that sell only Baklava. Turkish food restaurants and specialty shops often serve this dish in their own twist. However, the very basic contains a stack of phyllo pastry (a thin crust of dough) that's stuffed by a variety of chopped nuts and then sweetened by honey or syrup.

Each restaurant has their own unique way of serving up the dish. For a purely Turkish Baklava, Antep is the city that claims to serve the most authentic baklava there is. This is known as the baklava and pistachio capital of the country and most chefs and experts claim to be from here.

This can have several varieties. It's mostly the stuffing that differs though. Some prefer walnuts while others would rather have pistachio; there's also a hazelnut version served up in most of the Black Sea region that is also worth mentioning.

If you visit a Turkish restaurant; you'll surely find baklava on the menu and it's definitely a must-try so don't miss it.

If you are in the New York, Manhattan area, get your filling of this tasty treat right over at AnTalia Restaurant. This is "the" place to visit for authentic Turkish food and Mediterranean cuisine to help indulge your senses.

View the original article here

History of Turkish Baklava

History of Turkish Baklava

If there's one traditional dessert worth trying out when you step inside a Turkish restaurant, it has got to be Turkish Baklava. This sweet and delicious treat is often considered as a "national dessert" for much of Turkey and even most Mediterranean countries.

Let's take a quick look at its history and how this tasty dessert cuisine has become a staple in most Turkish meals today.

History

There's no clear, defining mark on where and when Baklava was first made. All we know is that much of the Middle East, Greeks, Jews, Arabs, Balkans and of course, Turks, all claim the Baklava as their national dessert.

Most of these countries actually belonged to the Ottoman Empire so it's safe to say that it originated as an Ottoman dessert. There is still quite a bit of contention with this especially since the Ottoman Empire is mostly associated with "Turks," the Greeks and Arabs aren't particularly fond of this idea.

Whether it first started in the empire or not, there is no doubt that it's modern form has evolved from the Ottoman period. In fact, during the 17th century, it was so popular that a palace tradition known as "baklava alayi" (parade) was held. In the festival, janissaries marched into the palace every 15th day of the Ramadan to gather trays of baklava. There would be one baklava for every ten soldiers as prepared by the palace cooks.

Modern Baklava

Today, there are specialty stores that sell only Baklava. Turkish food restaurants and specialty shops often serve this dish in their own twist. However, the very basic contains a stack of phyllo pastry (a thin crust of dough) that's stuffed by a variety of chopped nuts and then sweetened by honey or syrup.

Each restaurant has their own unique way of serving up the dish. For a purely Turkish Baklava, Antep is the city that claims to serve the most authentic baklava there is. This is known as the baklava and pistachio capital of the country and most chefs and experts claim to be from here.

This can have several varieties. It's mostly the stuffing that differs though. Some prefer walnuts while others would rather have pistachio; there's also a hazelnut version served up in most of the Black Sea region that is also worth mentioning.

If you visit a Turkish restaurant; you'll surely find baklava on the menu and it's definitely a must-try so don't miss it.

If you are in the New York, Manhattan area, get your filling of this tasty treat right over at AnTalia Restaurant. This is "the" place to visit for authentic Turkish food and Mediterranean cuisine to help indulge your senses.

View the original article here

Top 5 Five Vegan Turkish Foods

For the unfamiliar, Turkish food often means meat and kebabs, but did you know it's actually quite easy to find stress free vegan food in Turkey, or even close to home, in a Turkish restaurant.

If you are ready to expand your palette, then here's five delicious and purely vegan Turkish food to watch out for on your next visit.

1. Menemen (Turkish Omelet)

If you don't mind eating egg with your vegan diet, the Menemen is a tasty Turkish dish to try out. It's essentially a Turkish omelet that's spicy and filled with healthy onions, tomatoes and green peppers. In Turkey, this is considered a breakfast meal and often sold right around bus stations or diners. Like most Turkish dishes, better get plenty of bread to go with this so you can enjoy and soak up the leftover juices as well.

2. Gozleme - (Crepe)

The Gozleme isn't the most common Turkish food out there, especially if you head out to a restaurant but if they do serve this then go for it. The Gozleme is a flavorless crepe that comes stuffed with oodles of veggies. There are quite a few varieties; it can be stuffed with spinach (ispnakli) or potatoes (patatesli.) If you are a strict vegan and avoid dairy products, make sure to ask for a gozleme that has no cheese (peynirsiz.)

3. Cig Kofte (Raw Meatballs)

Don't freak out. I assure you there's no meat in this next dish. Yes, the name is quite deceptive but until recently, Cig Kofte was made using traditional meat. However, if you visit Turkey, meaty cig kofte are quite uncommon and sometimes even banned. The spicy vegetarian variety, however, is probably the only thing you'll encounter if you go looking for it in Turkish street corners or restaurants.

The dish is made from bulgur, tomatoes and red pepper paste. If you want to be sure, just ask if it's the vegan version and if there's no meat inside.

4. Ev Yemekleri ((Home Cooking)

Now, this one isn't so much a dish but more of where you'll find a great possibility of vegan dishes being served. Even though foreigners sometimes associate Turkish food with meat, in truth, home cooked meals are actually more vegan friendly than most think. In majority of Ev Yemekleri restaurants, expect a good variety of purely vegan dishes up for grabs.

5. Cezerye

For Turkish street explorers who want to munch on something as they go, the Cezerye is the perfect vegan treat to have. This strange, brightly colored snack is made from carrots that have been cooked for a long period until all the sweetness from the vegetable has condensed. It is then peppered with hazelnuts or walnuts.

There you have it! Next time you step inside a Turkish restaurant or find yourself on the streets of Turkey, don't worry, there's always a vegan meal waiting for you.

If you prefer to let your palette do the exploring, there are plenty of Turkish restaurants in New York. AnTalia Restaurant serves authentic cuisine of Turkey perfect for your vegan cravings. Drop by and treat your taste buds to vegan Turkish food bliss.

View the original article here