This gallery contains 8 photos.
Pazar changes its color like seasons. Fruits, flowers, vegetables even the stalls selling homemade produce change… spring is one of the liveliest times and as the summer approaches, I was not surprised to see the heap of clothing switched to heap of … Continue reading
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The good cooks/housewives/chefs/food enthusiasts… you name, all have one thing in common, they/we have our pumpkin/artichoke sellers in our neighbourhoods. We trust them, we wait for them while they are on vacation, do not betray them with other sellers. We … Continue reading
This gallery contains 8 photos.
Turkey, one of the most beautiful places in the whole big bad world. People, food, nature, culture, history… whatever you like, all in one. The sole reason why Turkey is my favorite place for travelling. Every region, every city, every … Continue reading
This gallery contains 1 photo.
This gallery contains 9 photos.
It is that time of the year. When the sun softly touches your back, a lovely wind carrying all the earthly and flowery smells. It is time to hit the road, to Aegean Coast, where all the hills are covered … Continue reading
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Şanlıurfa is a city that never sleeps, not for the partying though, for eating! The liver stalls goes on 24-7. The famous ciğerciler -the liver grillers- yelling out or sitting in front of the mangal -the mini bbq-, chatting with their … Continue reading
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As an offal enthusiast, I am embarrassed that I have not written any word on one of my favorite offal meals. Kokoreç! Kokoreç is basically lamb intestines, wrapped around sweetbreads on skewer and grilled horizontally over the charcoal fire. But not easy … Continue reading
Pistachio, fıstık, is a true delicacy and one main ingredient for baklava, in Gaziantep. The pink smooth skin covers the shelled pistachio inside which still has a softer skin then the usual roasted one.
The ones which have already cracked, growing their way outside he skin, pressuring it to open its mouth, called çıtlak and preferred by the locals. There are many street seller in the city, walking around heaped carts, with the eye catching contrast of blue nylon and pink pistachios.
The fruit is hidden inside the pink skin, then the semi soft outer skin. It has a taste like any other, mellow, moist and a little fatty taste, but bursting you with its flavor, the fruit inside has all the tones of green. The more vivid green, the more it has a unique taste, yellower green the taste becomes lighter. As I told these are the fresh ones, not roasted, so they are not salted and I prefer this other than the roasted ones. The fıstık season has ended so, these are the last ones I could catch in Gaziantep.
Now, this particular gadget is for cracking open the pistachio shells rather then trying to break you teeth, trying to get the delicious fıstık out from its skin, if the shell is closed, or you do not want to ruin your nails. As seen, it has many kinds made from brass, metal and covered with hand decorated figures, motives…
Will be back for more delicious Gaziantep.