Turkey Halal Food
Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 7 views • 2 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier. view all
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier.
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier.
Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 7 views • 2 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier. view all
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier.
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Edirne, Bursa and Konya — Turkish Muslim Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. The account keeps its focus on Turkey Halal Food, Edirne Travel, Konya Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the autumn of 2018, I visited several cities in Turkey. Edirne is in the far northwest on the border with Greece and Bulgaria, and Bursa is south of Istanbul across the Sea of Marmara. Both cities were once capitals of the Ottoman Empire. There is also the ancient city of Konya on the Anatolian plateau, which was the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the birthplace of the Sufi whirling dervishes.
Edirne
When you come to Edirne, you must try the local specialty, fried liver (ciğercisi). It is very satisfying when served with yogurt and spicy sauce.
For lunch in Edirne, I had grilled sausage meatballs (sucuk köfte) and lentil soup (mercimek çorbası). A cold wind was blowing across the entire Balkan Peninsula those days, so drinking hot lentil soup felt great.
For dinner in Edirne, I had minced meat pie (kıymalı pide) and a rich soup made from sheep head and trotters (kelle paça). This soup was especially delicious.
The next morning in Edirne, I had a stuffed pastry (börek). I chose the meat filling, and it cost 6 lira a plate. It was quite tasty. Then there was the breakfast set, a plate of very healthy food.
At the bazaar in Edirne, I bought the local specialty, crescent-shaped almond cookies (Kavala kurabiyesi). Kavala is now an important seaport in northern Greece, and it was ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1371 to 1913. During the 1922 population exchange between Turkey and Greece, tens of thousands of Turks left Kavala to settle in Edirne, bringing this cookie with them. I have always been very interested in the Greek-Turkish population exchange. The hometowns left behind forever and the relationship between nations and ethnic groups hold so many stories.
Konya
In Konya, I had oven-roasted meat (fırın kebabı) and a dessert called between-the-layers (sac arası). This place is right across from the tomb of Rumi and is called Sufi Kebab.
I also drank the local Konya specialty, okra soup (bamya), which was very good.
Konya has many street teahouses where people sit by the road chatting and drinking tea. It has a great atmosphere.
Bursa
I flew back to Istanbul from Konya and then took a bus to Bursa. Turkish buses provide snacks and drinks, and the service is excellent.
When you come to Bursa, you must try Bursa-style grilled meat (İskender kebap). This dish adds yogurt and tomato sauce to the meat. It was the first food I encountered in Turkey that I could not fully adapt to. But their fermented grape juice (şıra) was super delicious!
I had breakfast at the hotel, right across from the beautiful Great Mosque in Bursa.
The next day, I had a dish similar to Bursa-style grilled meat called meatball pita (pideli köfte), which just replaces the meat slices with meatballs.
For dinner, I had Turkish pizza (pide), which I really like because it is packed with toppings.
In front of a mosque in Bursa, there was an elderly man selling a pastry called Damascus dessert (Şam tatlısı) for one lira each. It is said to have a very long history.
I took a boat from Bursa across the Sea of Marmara back to Istanbul.
I had dessert while boarding the boat at the pier.