1. Coffee
Turkish coffee is a different story. Intense, sweet and spicy, with a rich foam that Turks are so proud of. Be prepared for coffee grounds to take up half of the elegant cup. The Turks add sugar directly during cooking, so they will certainly ask you how sweet the drink you want. You can take away a piece of Turkish flavor in a beautiful jar by purchasing Mehmed Efendi, a coffee popular with tourists and beloved by the Aborigines: blended with cardamom, it has an amazing aroma. But it is better not to order cappuccino and other European delights in Turkey – if you do not want to get an instant drink from a 3 in 1 bag.
2. Iskandar Kebab
An exciting quest for a trip to Turkey is to try all types of kebabs. A Turkish variation on the theme of barbecue – shish kebab – made from lamb and complemented with tomatoes and bell peppers. And do not forget about diner kebab – simple and stereotyped, but no less delicious for that. Experiment and compare: it is quite possible that a kebab in a simple street café will taste more delicious than a chef in a trendy restaurant. And don’t forget airman: this yoghurt drink perfectly complements traditional meat dishes.
3. The border is cracked
Technically, kite is another kind of kebab. But this dish is so popular in Turkey that it deserves a separate mention. Each locality cooks these meatballs differently. Kofta can be fried, boiled, baked or grilled. Be sure to try chi kofta. Previously, this dish was a raw meat cutlet with vegetables, but now in Turkey, raw meat dishes are prohibited, and in many places “chi kofta” has become a vegetarian. Favorite budget food of Turkish students – and exotic dish for tourists. And if you want to try the classic meat version, go to the hinterland, where the strict requirements for street food have not yet reached.
4. Sale
In winter, it’s time for sale – a hot milk drink that is thick, sweet and warming. It is prepared from a special sale flour obtained from dried orchids roots. After trying sale, many people miss it at home. It is difficult to find sale in Russia, so if you like the drink, bring flour with you from Turkey in order to arrange nostalgic evenings upon your return and surprise guests. You can buy flour at the bazaar or in spice shops, and if you don’t want to mess with the ingredients, buy a ready-made mixture for sale at any Turkish supermarket.
5. Mussels
The ubiquitous street vendors invite you to feast on not only simits and kebabs, but also mussels. For half a lira, the seller will open the sink and pour lemon juice on the contents: mussel meat mixed with rice. The mussels look tiny – but a dozen are unexpectedly enough to eat. Just a dozen shells, beautifully served on a plate, you can order in a café or take with you to the hotel instead of pizza.
6. Tea
Tea for Turks is an independent dish. It is prepared in a two-story teapot and drunk from elegant armada cups, adding two refined sugar cubes. You can finish your meal with tea, but in no case wash down other dishes. Even in the pastry shop, they will look askance at you if you decide to drink tea with sweets. In central and eastern Turkey, teahouses are analogous to pubs in Britain. People come to them to socialize, not just drink. If you want to make acquaintance with the locals, come to any large tea house in the late afternoon and you will definitely not be bored alone.
To experience the real, raw Serbian daily life and discover the most aromatic organic food you will ever taste, you must visit one of the Serbian green markets. There is much more than just tables full of local produce and the locals are trying to sell them. These are buzzing places and local spotlights. A regular daily stop for busy people in their 40s, a daily social event for grandparents, Serbia’s fairs are equally appealing to all generations. In this story, I will tell you where you can find organic food in Serbia, which green markets in Serbia are the best to visit and get a glimpse into the daily life of the locals.
The original name “leech” translates to “green market”, but in reality it is what Americans call the farmers’ market. Unlike the United States, where these locally sourced organic produce is overpriced as a premium product, prices in Serbia are very affordable and usually much lower than in supermarkets. Most vegetables are fresh, colorful and flashy “EAT ME”. Most vendors will allow you to sample a bite before you buy, assured that these are the tastiest organic foods on the market. Most of the time, you will find traces of dirt and vegetables that are not ideal in shape and size. This is due to insufficient use of chemicals and hormones for growth. When nature is doing its job on its own, food may not be visually perfect, but it certainly tastes like heaven.
