Exquisite Flavors from Western Anatolia

Seminar on Turkey’s Regional Culinary Cultures and Traditions was held at YESAM on February 22nd, 2012

The seminar focused on modern Turkey’s Mugla province, also known through the centuries as Karia (Caria) of ancient Greece, Mentese Principality of the post-Seljuk Anatolia, and the Sigla County of the Ottoman era.

Simply put, the lands of the Meander River and beyond – especially the fertile grounds in between Meander and Dalaman (Indos) – gave rise to numerous civilizations through the centuries.

The seminar was an ode and an introduction to various tastes and flavors from the region, described in a poem as ‘a painting in green and blue/ you were resentful and cross/ have you reconciled with the nature already?’

The Meander River essentially draws a line between two distinct culinary cultures spanning north to south. Tarhana – a traditional soup base made with fermented and dried cracked wheat, yogurt and vegetables – for instance, tastes delicious throughout Anatolia, though it is nothing like the tarhana made in Mugla. Nowhere in Turkey but Mugla can one find fresh vegetables to stuff year-around. Gokova and Hisaronu bays’ cool waters give a distinct flavor to the produce grown in the region.

Exquisite dishes from Western Anatolia prepared by Fevzi Cikikci and presented by Nedim Atilla included:

Wild Herb Cold Appetizers :
Kapari filizi salatası - Caper Salad
Kaya korugu (deniz genevizi) salatası- Rock Samphire Salad
Menengiç (çitlenbikfilizi) ekşilemesi - Terebinth Salad
Sevket-i bostan salatası – Golden Thistle Salad
Kara hindiba (radika) salatası - Dandelion Salad
Eşekhelvası salatası - Spiny Sow Thistle Salad
Sarı ot kavurması - Sautéed St. John’s Wort
Dalleme (papatyafilizi) - Dandelion Sprouts
Arapsaçı kavurma – Sauteed Fennel
Cipahorta - Mixed Spring Wild Herbs

Hot Dishes:
Garaville – Datça style snails
Mürekkep balığı güveç - (mürekkebiyle) Squid Casserole with ink
Dülgerbalığı (peygamberbalıgı) mantısı - John Dory Dumplings

Lecture video is in Turkish.