Turkish cuisine

The culinary center of Turkey is the Marmala Region, including Thrace, with Istanbul as its Queen City. This temperate, fertile region boasts a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as the most delicately flavored lamb. The variety of fish that travel the Bosphorus surpassed that of other seas. Bolu, a city on the mountains, supplied the greatest cooks for the Sultan's Palace, and even now, the best chefs in the country come from Bolu. Istanbul is the epicenter of the cuisine.

Otherwise there may appear to be an overwhelming variety of dishes, each with a unique combination of ingredients and its own way of preparation and presentation. All dishes can be conveniently categorized into grain-based, grilled meats, vegetables, seafood, desserts and beverages.

The foundation of the cuisine on grains (rice and wheat) and vegetables. Each category of dishes contains only one or two types of main ingredients. Contrary to the prevalent Western impression of Turkish food, spices and herbs are used very simply and sparingly. For now, the markets are vibrant and the dishes are tastier than ever.