|
I. AN INTRODUCTION TO
TURKISH CUISINE
“ Do not dismiss the dish saying that it is just food. The blessed
thing is an entire civilization in itself ! ”
For those who travel to engage in culinary pursuits, the Turkish
Cuisine is worthy of exploration. The variety of dishes that make up
the cuisine, the ways they all come together in feastlike meals, and
the evident intricacy of each craft involved offer enough material
for life-long study and enjoyment. It is not easy to discern a basic
element or a single dominant feature, like the Italian pasta or the
French sauce. Whether in humble home, at a famous restaurant, ar at
dinner in a Bey’s mansion, familiar patterns of this rich and
diverse cuisine are always present. It is a rare art which satisfies
the senses while reconfirming the higher order of society, community
and culture.
A practically-minded child watching Mother cook “cabbage dolma” on a
lazy, grey winter day is bound to wonder: “Who on earth discovered
this peculiar combination of sauteed rice, pinenuts, currants,
spices, and herbs all tightly wrapped in translucent leaves of
cabbage, each roll exactly half an inch thick and stacked up on an
oval serving plate decorated with lemon wedges? How was it possible
to transform this humble vegetable to such heights of fashion and
delicacy with so few additional ingredients? And, how can such a
yummy dish also possibly be good for you?”
The modern mind, in a moment of contemplation, has similar thoughts
upon entering a modest sweets shop where “baklava” is the generic
cuusin of a dozen or so sophisticated sweet pastries with names like
twisted turban, sultan, saray (palace), ladies navel or
nightingale’s nest. The same experience awaits you at a
“muhallebici” (pudding shop) with a dozen different types of milk
puddings.
One can only conclude that the evolution of this glorious cuisine
was not an accident, but rather, as with the other grand cuisines of
the world, it was a result of the combination of three key elements,
a nurturing environment, the imperial kitchen, and a long social
tradition. A nurturing environment is irreplaceable. Turkey is known
for an abundance and diversity of foodstuff due to its rich flora,
fauna and regional differentiation. Secondly, the legacy of an
imperial kitchen is inescapable. Hundreds of cooks, all specializing
in different types of dishes, and all eager to please the royal
palate, no doubt had their influence in perfecting the cuisine as we
know it today. The palace kitchen, supported by a complex social
organization, a vibrant urban life, specialization of labor,
worlwide trade, and total control of the Spice Road, all reflected
the culmination of wealth and the flourishing of culture in the
capital of a mighty empire. Finally, the longevity of social not be
taken lightly either. The Turkish Stade of Anatolia is a millennium
old and so, naturally, is its cuisine. Time is of the essence, as
Ibn’i Haldun wrote, “The religion of the King, in time, becomes that
of the people,” which also holds true for the King’s food. Thus, the
600-year reign of the Ottoman Dynasty and an exceptional cultural
transition into the present day of modern Turkey led to the
evolution of a grand cuisine through differentiation, the refinement
and perfection of dishes, and the sequence and combination of the
meals in which they are found.
It is quite rare when all three of the above conditions are met, as
they are in French, Chinese and Turkish Cuisine. Turkish cuisine has
the added privilege of being at the crossroads of the Far East and
the Mediterranean, resulting in a long and complex history of
Turkish migration from the steppes of Central Asia (where they
mingled with the Chinese) to Europe (where their influencewas felt
all the way to Vienna). Such unique characteristics and extensive
history have bestowed upon Turkish cuisine a rich selection of
dishes all of which can be prepared and combined with others to
create meals of almost infinite variety, but always in a
non-arbitrary way. This led to a cuisine that is open to
improvisation through development of regional styles, while
retaining its deep structure , as all great works of art do. The
cuisine is also an integral aspect of the culture. It is a part of
the rituals of everyday life. It reflects spirituality, in forms
that are specific to it, through symbolism and practice.
Anyone who visits Turkey or has a meal in a Turkish home, regardless
of the success of the particular cook, is sure to notice the
uniqueness of the cuisine. Our intention here is to help the
uninitiated enjoy Turkish food by achieving a more detailed
understanding of the repertoire of dishes and their related cultural
practices as well as their spiritual meaning. |
