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March 13, 2015
I know I go on and on about the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market but my sister and I really love it. I got a great bunch of Tuscan Kale this past weekend and I knew I wanted it to make Kiymali Toscana or Tuscan Kale with Ground beef. It is a different spin on Kiymali Ispanak. This recipe is so easy that you could easily have this on the table in 30 to 40 minutes. I will say that...
December 1, 2014
One of my favorite Turkish Desserts is Ayva Tatlisi, also known as Quince Dessert. It is a light dessert that is not too sweet. I found these quince at the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market a couple of weeks ago when my sister and I went to Atlanta. The kaymak, which is Turkish Cream, I found at Bakkal International, my favorite Turkish market. I actually, made this a few weeks ago but unfortunately have just gotten around to posting the recipe....
November 6, 2014
This past weekend my brother, my sister and I drove over to Atlanta to the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market. It was a dream come true for “foodies” like us. My sister discovered it while on the internet and wanted us to go and check it out. It is sad to say that we had to drive 2+ hours to find excellent quality produce and great international food items but it was well worth it. They have any kind of...
October 24, 2014
I love fall. I love the weather. I love the gorgeous array of colors as the trees change from vibrant green to oranges, reds and finally rusty browns. I love going to Mountain Top Flea Market and browsing for bargains. Fall is the best time to go in my opinion because it is nice and cool. While strolling up and down the rows last Sunday, I found these lovely pumpkins. Which I knew would be perfect for Kabak Tatlısı...
October 15, 2014
Yalancı Dolma or Fake Dolma are one of my favorite Turkish meze. It was always on the table for our New Years celebrations in Ankara every year. Sevim hanim, my former mother-in-law made the best dolmas ever. The were cooked perfectly every time. Tender leaves on the outside firm never mushy rice on the inside. The mixture of the olive oil and the lemon juice along with all the spices and flavors inside the dolmas would make your tongue...
October 10, 2014
Last week when I went to Atlanta with my daughter to the AWA (Anime Week Atlanta) Convention, I spent some of my time checking out the wonderful Turkish Bakkal in Sandy Springs. In Turkey, a bakkal is a little neighborhood store where you can buy many household essentials. This one was just a few miles up the interstate from where we were staying and extremely easy to find. The service was excellent and if you live in this area,...
July 26, 2014
Borek is so versatile and there are so many ways to make it. Fried, oven baked, and water are just a few types of borek. White cheese, spinach, ground beef, leeks, potato and zucchini are just a few ingredients that can be used. Today I would like to share with you my Ispanaklı Su Böreği recipe. Su Böreği or Water Borek is one of the most commonly made borek’s and it is a wonderful Turkish comfort food. It...
July 1, 2014
Our local farmer’s market has opened back up for summer here in Gadsden, Alabama and shopping there this past Friday reminded me of my many trips to the Pazar’s of Istanbul only on a much smaller scale. Not only did I buy lots of fresh veggies, I also bought an “old” variety of Hydrangea that I still have not planted. I bought two different kinds of heirloom tomatoes, a couple of cayenne peppers and some gorgeous Tuscan Kale from Tobe’s Tailgate...
April 28, 2014
As you all know, I love cooking foods that I think my daughter, Stella will love. She has been on a kick where she really does not like to eat a lot of meat anymore. With this in mind, I started thinking about making a rice dish with a side salad for dinner. For some reason, what popped into my head was this rice we used to order at one of my favorite restaurants in Istanbul called Gelik. It...
April 14, 2014
As promised, here is the recipe for the yummy Köfte. The milk and toasted bread is what makes these yummy little parcels of meat so moist. I also cut some of the Ciabatta Bread I made the other day in half and grilled them with the Köfte. The best way to do this is place the bread on the grill for a few seconds to toast and then place on top of the Köfte once they are almost done to...
April 13, 2014
We have been having some gorgeous weather here in Alabama. This has really gotten me in the mood to get the grill fired up. I decided I wanted to make some Şiş Kebap or Shish Kebab and Köfte. The Köfte recipe will be posted tomorrow. The great thing about making Şiş Kebap and Köfte is they can be prepared in advance. I prepared both of them in the morning and then when I was ready to grill all...
November 24, 2013
Living in Turkey, you never really think about making Açma because you can just go to the Firin or Bakery and buy them hot and fresh whenever you have a taste for them. Well, it has been about 15 years since I was in Turkey and lately, I have found myself craving these delightful pastries. Today, I decided to whip some up and boy am I glad I did. I was immediately transported back to Istanbul. They were absolutely...
