Türkiye’s Cuisine: A Dish from Each of the 81 Provinces
On this journey I have walked with my backpack through Türkiye’s 81 provinces and 957 districts, and one of my greatest sources of motivation has been this country’s gastronomy. Just as I felt deep joy in the moments I discovered nature, and just as I felt proud standing at point 0 of the places where history was lived, I drew incredible strength every time I reached each district of this country and each city’s own distinctive flavors. This country…
On this journey I have walked with my backpack through Türkiye’s 81 provinces and 957 districts, and one of my greatest sources of motivation has been this country’s gastronomy. Just as I felt deep joy in the moments I discovered nature, and just as I felt proud standing at point 0 of the places where history was lived, I drew incredible strength every time I reached each district of this country and each city’s own distinctive flavors. This country holds the banner in the world’s gastronomy; from millions of windows it sends out aromas that will preserve this country’s breath, make its flowers bloom and become the perfume of this universe. I hope the world will recognize not just the one or two dishes whose names it has heard on some list, but the heroes of this country’s kitchen, the millions who make those aromas rise from its windows. So let’s now go to a pot, a dish from every one of the 81 provinces, from every hometown. Let’s go to the works of the kitchen’s heroes.
Adana: Adana Kebap
Adıyaman: Çiğköfte
Aksaray: Bulgur Pilaf with Mushrooms
Ardahan: Göle Kaşar Cheese
Afyonkarahisar: Afyon Sucuk
Ağrı: Göşteberg Et
Amasya: Bakla Dolması
Ankara: Beypazarı Güveci
Antalya: Topak Kızartma
Artvin: Silor with Yogurt
Aydın: Çine Köftesi
Balıkesir: Höşmerim
Bartın: İsput with Eggs
Batman: Kaburga Dolması
Bayburt: Bayburt Ketesi
Bilecik: Quail Kebab
Bingöl: Kuru Dolma
Bitlis: Keledoş
Bolu: Mengen Pilavı
Burdur: Cheese Pide
Bursa: İskender Kebap
Çanakkale: Salted Sardines
Çankırı: Keşkek
Çorum: Kuzu Tandır
Denizli: Tandır Kebap
Diyarbakır: Hasanpaşa Breakfast
Düzce: Kaşık Makarnası
Edirne: Edirne Ciğeri
Elazığ: İçli Köfte
Erzincan: Etli Yaprak Sarma
Erzurum: Cağ Kebap
Eskişehir: Çiğ Börek
Gaziantep: Pistachio Baklava
Giresun: Görele Pidesi
Gümüşhane: Pestil and Köme
Hakkari: Şemdinli Honey
Hatay: Künefe
Iğdır: Ayranaşı
Isparta: Rose Jam
Mersin: Tantuni with Yogurt
Istanbul: Eminönü Balık Ekmek
Izmir: Midye Dolma
Karabük: Safranbolu Lokum
Karaman: Çullama
Kars: Goose Meat
Kastamonu: Kır Pidesi
Kayseri: Kayseri Cıvıklısı
Kırıkkale: Tuvalak
Kırklareli: Manca
Kırşehir: Çullama
Kilis: Kilis Tava
Kocaeli: İzmit Pişmaniye
Konya: Etli Ekmek
Kütahya: Pesmet
Malatya: Malatya Apricots
Manisa: Mesir Macunu
Kahramanmaraş: Ekşili Aya
Mardin: Mardin Kebap
Muğla: Gagozu
Muş: Hez Dolması
Nevşehir: Testi Kebap
Niğde: Niğde Tava
Ordu: Nettle Soup
Osmaniye: Bayram Kömbesi
Rize: Muhlama
Sakarya: Islama Köfte
Samsun: Çakallı Menemeni
Siirt: Büryan
Sinop: Mantı with Walnuts
Sivas: Sivas Köfte
Şırnak: Perde Pilavı
Tekirdağ: Tekirdağ Köftesi
Tokat: Kebab with Vegetables
Trabzon: Hamsiköy Sütlaç
Tunceli: Babuko
Şanlıurfa: Urfa Ciğeri
Uşak: Alacatene
Van: Van Breakfast
Yalova: Termal Tatlısı
Yozgat: Testi Kebap
Zonguldak: Tirit
Of all the aromas rising to the sky across the Republic of Türkiye, with its 81 provinces, 957 districts and 82 million people, I could only include 81 here. Some of these are dishes I couldn’t eat myself, either because I didn’t have the money or because I looked for them at restaurants and never came across them (or because they really are made only at home). But I truly included some of the most special flavors that must be tasted in each city. If, like me, you are one of those who would go from Edirne to Kars just for a spoonful of flavor, save this list. Most of them are served in restaurants; for the ones you can’t find, it would make me happiest if you got someone you know to cook them for you. I will keep adding to the list one by one later on. On the day everything gets better, let’s not come back from our journeys without savoring these flavors and the rest of the aromas in the sky. Bon appétit.
Note: Since I don’t have my hard drive with me, some of my travel photos aren’t on the computer I’m currently using. That’s why a few of the food photos were taken from Google Images. This will be fixed later and my own photos will be added.