OTTOMAN CULINARY CULTURE

ACCUMULATION OF OVER 5000 YEARS OF VARIOUS CIVILISATIONS

Turkish culinary culture represents a tradition, which is accumulation of many Cultures, and a tradition, that is constantly changing.

Our ancestors, who migrated from Central Asia to Anatolia, came across many different culinary traditions, and adopted many of these into their cuisine.

Elements of Persian cuisine came with the establishment of Seljuk’s influence of Islam; which adopted Arab dishes based on wheat and mutton upon settling in Anatolia and seafood dishes as they reached to the Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines.

As such, Anatolia’s culinary heritage that was built up over 5000 years ranging from Hittites to the Roman and Byzantine Empires

Apart from being a bridge for civilisations, Anatolia has a unique geography that has been another factor in the development of regional cuisine.

Anatolian peninsula is surrounded by three large seas; each one very different from the other

The Black Sea at the north, Aegean Sea at the west, and the Mediterranean Sea at the south that provides a wealth of fish and seafood

The land displays striking climatic variations. For example, while the East is in the grip of winter, spring prevails in the West, and summer still warms the south, providing plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.

OTTOMAN EATING TRADITIONS

Ottoman’s meals can be classified under three headings The Family Meals, guests Meals and the Communal Meals

The Family Meals
The father is the hub of the family meal, seating the grandmother and grandfather to his right and left. The mother, children, and other relatives take there places respectively.

The meal would only start after the father starts eating following a short prayer.

Guests Meals
It was usual to offer a spoonful of honey or jam to visitors before the meal began,

Thereby expressing the principle of `Eat sweet Talk sweet` on this occasion guest start to eat first and rest to follow.

Communal Meals
Communal meals were a very important part of Ottoman culture and social life, expressing the idea of unity.

This was particularly important events for the military, dervish lodges, kervansarays (Inns where merchants used for business) and boarding schools

During these meals, various light forms of entertainment were provided, including some poetry, following are some of the best-known phrases

• Eat little, sleep little, talk little
• He who eats little eats every day, he who eats much eats but a single day.
• Eat a little be an angel, eat much and perish.
• The mouth eats the face is shamed.
• A little food means a trouble-free head.

FOOD IN FOLK MEDICINE

Ottoman cuisine is not only a synthesis of art and knowledge, but has a therapeutic dimension.

Almost all the psychosomatic disorders related to the stomach can be cured by means of the culinary preparations of Ottoman cuisine

For instance Aubergine, an ingredient of 40 or more dishes, is beneficial for infections of the ovaries,
Courgettes for gastro-intestinal related problems,
Onion for ulcers and syphilis,
Cabbage for stomach pains and tonsillitis,
Crashed wheat (Bulgur) which is good for diarrhoea

THE OTTOMAN KITCHEN

In Ottoman times, the guild of cooks controlled the profession, laying down strict rules and regulations.

Apprentices had to pass tests of their skill in order to work their way up the hierarchy. The highest being master cook and the lowest being scullery boys

SOME EXAMPLES OF AUTHENTIC OTTOMAN CUISINE

We at Savarona have carefully selected some very best authentic Ottoman dishes to serve our customers and represent this rich culture. Following are some examples:

STARTER
Meze meaning starter, is an eating style in ottoman cuisine, consisting of various small portions of vegetables cooked in olive oil, meat dishes, as well as seafood. A very popular Meze choice is the Albanian liver, shallow fried lambs’ liver. However, the Sultans’ favourite was the chicken liver. We at Savarona reincarnated this authentic dish and named it VEZIR CIGERI.

MAIN DISHES
Mangal, otherwise known as the grill, is a cooking style with real wood fire used to cook meat, fish, chicken and many other games usually set for an evening for entertaining important guests in the long summer days. Savarona’s classic example of Mangal cooking is CENTIK KEBAP.

FISH
Fish takes a big part on late Ottoman Tables. Its preparation is either grilled, steam cooked, smoked, or fried in olive oil. Savarona`s example is the STUFFED MACKEREL

LAMB
Another authentic Ottoman selection is ISLIM KEBAB: Knuckle of lamb slowly cooked in the Oven with pepper in a tomato sauce, then wrapped with slices of smoked baby aubergine

DESSERTS
The diversity of Turkish food always amazed visitors from foreign countries. The first English Ambassador to Turkey, Sir Edward Burton, reported to Queen Elisabeth Its that at a banquet given in his honour he counted about one hundred different dishes and remarked the dessert served in rose sherbet. SU MUHALLEBISI.