All about Turkish cuisine and restaurants in Bodrum

Ayran
Coffee
Tea (Çay)
Raki
Starters (Meze) Döner-Kebab Gözleme Lahmacun

Would someone come to Turkey
just to eat out?
Yes, he would. Turkish food is famous throughout the world.
Here are the most important dishes and drinks

our restaurant page - click here

Aubergines

Market in Bodrum

About Turkish cuisine in general
Turkish cuisine is to a large extent the product of a rich historical background, resulting from centuries of crossbreeding between East and West and sustained by an infinite variety of fish, meat, vegetables and fruit. When the Turks were nomads their food was necessarily limited, but as they settled they adopted the dishes of the conquered, refining these continuously in the palaces of Istanbul.

Foreign guests are over and over surprised by the rich variety and painstaking preparation of vegetable here. The market of Bodrum makes it clear: fresh vegetables have the highest value in the Turkish kitchen. They can also be roasted, fried or served with yogurt. Vegetable courses can be eaten warm by themselves or filled with mince meat and rice (Dolma). They can also be prepared with olive oil as a cold dish. In addition also lamb is offered -, calf and beef and much chicken. Pork meat is forbidden to the believing Moslem, and fish has become very expensive over the last years.

The drinks

The famous *lion milk*
Ayran
Ayran is a beverage made out of Yoghurt, diluted with water, salted, and must be served cool . Very much appreciated by Turks - ideal when you are thirsty on hot days. A must for you to try..

Raki
Among alcoholic drinks Raki as a beverage ranks at the highest point of the popularity scale in Turkey. It is an "anisette" which clouds when water is added and normally you mix it with approximately 2 thirds of water at the table. And therefore in the common language it is also called "Aslan süt" , (lion milk). The great thing with Raki is that its flavour lends itself to all courses, to the hors-d'oeuvre, the sweets, fish or meat, Raki always fits. With "Sherefe" (cheers) you salute each other

selling Simit The tea boy

Turkish coffee
Tea and coffee
Wherever you go, tea or coffee will be offered to you, (Çay is the Turkish word for tea, pronounced 'tschai'), it is the most preferred drink of the Turks.
A short historical note: When the Ottoman empire collapsed, Turkey lost the coffee supplier Yemen and thus the actual national beverage - the coffee. Atatürk looked for a replacement and one was discovering at the humid coast of the black sea, favorable conditions for the cultivation of tea. Since this time Çay is the national beverage over all in Turkey.

The typical Turkish coffee is traditionally prepared in a small copper pot called Cezve. Heat together at the same time coffee powder, water and sugar on a low flame. When the liquid boils, then serve the 'Kahve' in small mocca cups. There are three types to order : 'sade' (without sugar), 'orta' (the Turkish word for medium, in this case little sugar) and 'sekerli' (for sweet). By the way - perhaps you will find someone here or around Bodrum, who will read your future from the coffee grounds. This is a very popular here in Turkey

stuffed wine leafs

Mezeler - die Vorspeisen

The starters - or Mezeler -
Hors-d'oeuvres to the full meal. Coming for the first time to Turkey, people are surprised by the variety of small courses, which are offered in the restaurants. Usually the waiter brings an assortment on a large tray of portion sized plates directly to the table for everyone to select, whatever appeals. More frequently however one goes to the selection bar inside of the restaurant.

Everything that is stuffed is called Dolmas - e.g., there are peppers and vine leaves filled with rice, currants and pine seeds, fried slices of eggplants with garlic yogurt and Humus a a spicy paste made from chick peas.

Afterwards the warm starters are served: e.g. Sigara Böreks, filled with white cheese and parsley; fried Zucchini and stuffed Zucchini flowers - too numerous to mention. And the nice thing is this, if you are full they are not bothered if you refuse to order a main course.

Much better you learn these names for delicious snacks before you come to Turkey !

Gözleme
Dönerkebab
Dönerkebab could be the Turkish answer to Big Mac. From a big roasting *spit* very thin sliced meat is cut and filled into a special bread called Pide, mixed with onions and salad. (Very inexpensive)

Gözleme
This dish consist of a thin pancake similar to Crepes. On a curved sheet of metal this pancake is baked and then filled mostly with a mixture of white cheese and parsley.

Lahmacun
For sure you will see this somewhere. Something between Pizza and Tortilla, on a thin layer of pastry mince meat is spread - with fresh garden herbs - spiced with red pepper from mild to hot.