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In November 2011 I visited Ankara and Istanbul, two major cities of Turkey, with a group of colleagues from International Food, a magazine where I work. We were there to understand the Turkish cuisine and explore possibilities and opportunities for cooperation between cuisine industries of the two countries. During the nine-day tour, we visited seven restaurants and hotels as well as six schools and museums. We met with experts and scholars and watched demonstrations of the Turkish culinary art. We were impressed with the hospitality we received and the Turkish people’s eagerness and willingness to know more about Chinese cuisine.
As a country that spans Europe and Asia, Turkey has a long history of exceptional cuisine. Meeting an official from Ministry of Culture of Turkey, we learned that the affairs of the cuisine industry now are under the administration of the Ministry of Culture. The ministry attaches great importance to the studies of Turkish cuisine, as testified by the fact that since 1981, the ministry has dedicated resources to the study of dessert and culinary features of Turkish cuisine. More than ten books of research results have been published. The ministry planned to compile a comprehensive cookbook of 320 typical Turkish dishes. Nowadays, Turkey hosts an international symposium on culinary art every five years. Turkish cuisine is studied in two universities whereas a special academy is dedicated to the cultivating of specialists in the field of food, nutrition, and health.
The ministry gave a reception banquet in our honor. The four-course banquet was by no means luxurious if compared with how we Chinese entertain our guests back home, but the dishes were special and tasteful and the service was impressive. We learned from an official from Chinese embassy that the banquet was much better than the national banquet given by the president.
On November 20, we met with a group of experts on Turkish cuisine. The scholars gave us mini lectures. A discussion with a journalist was extremely informative. To our surprise, Chinese culinary art is said to have been playing a significant part in the Turkish cuisine tradition. Over a long period of history, the Turkish people have picked up a lot of cooking methods and tips from China through extensive cultural exchanges. For example, the Turkish make and eat wonton in the same way as we Chinese do. They also use a short rolling pole to make thin flour wrappers for making wonton. The Turkish cuisine absorbs four major influences: the Ottoman cuisine, the Chinese cuisine, Islamic cuisine, and European cuisine.
Dolma is the name used for stuffed vegetables. Many vegetables are stuffed, most typically green peppers and eggplants. It is said that the Turkish have about 50 different recipes for making eggplants stuffed with minced meat, vegetables, rice, pine nuts, and raisins.
The main staple food in Turkey includes pastries for three meals a day. Rice and noodle are also available, but they come in soup.
Seafood plays a big part in Turkish everyday diet, as the sea embraces the country on three sides. Fish is usually fried or roasted. We saw no fish cooked in soup. Vegetable is frequently served raw. We had trouble getting used to eating raw vegetables.
Dessert is a must for daily meals. Most desserts come in with a thick layer of cheese and each has a beautiful name such as “beautiful lips” or “a woman’s navel”. No banquet is complete without a dessert as the last course.
Turkey abounds with fruit. Fruit is a must for every meal. Beverages include milk, black coffee, black tea. People there prefer beer, port wines, but they love spirits, too. Yoghurt is very popular.
We learned from our colleagues in Turkey that due to historical, geographic and religious reasons, the Turkey cuisine has exerted big influences on many Middle East countries and North African countries. The Turkish believe Turkey is one of the world’s three greatest countries in terms of finest cuisine: China, Turkey and France in that order.
During our visit to Turkey, we met with a lot of social celebrities and colleagues. They all expressed their appreciation of Chinese food. They looked eagerly forward to further cooperation and exchanges between the two countries in the field of culinary art.□
As a country that spans Europe and Asia, Turkey has a long history of exceptional cuisine. Meeting an official from Ministry of Culture of Turkey, we learned that the affairs of the cuisine industry now are under the administration of the Ministry of Culture. The ministry attaches great importance to the studies of Turkish cuisine, as testified by the fact that since 1981, the ministry has dedicated resources to the study of dessert and culinary features of Turkish cuisine. More than ten books of research results have been published. The ministry planned to compile a comprehensive cookbook of 320 typical Turkish dishes. Nowadays, Turkey hosts an international symposium on culinary art every five years. Turkish cuisine is studied in two universities whereas a special academy is dedicated to the cultivating of specialists in the field of food, nutrition, and health.
The ministry gave a reception banquet in our honor. The four-course banquet was by no means luxurious if compared with how we Chinese entertain our guests back home, but the dishes were special and tasteful and the service was impressive. We learned from an official from Chinese embassy that the banquet was much better than the national banquet given by the president.
On November 20, we met with a group of experts on Turkish cuisine. The scholars gave us mini lectures. A discussion with a journalist was extremely informative. To our surprise, Chinese culinary art is said to have been playing a significant part in the Turkish cuisine tradition. Over a long period of history, the Turkish people have picked up a lot of cooking methods and tips from China through extensive cultural exchanges. For example, the Turkish make and eat wonton in the same way as we Chinese do. They also use a short rolling pole to make thin flour wrappers for making wonton. The Turkish cuisine absorbs four major influences: the Ottoman cuisine, the Chinese cuisine, Islamic cuisine, and European cuisine.
Dolma is the name used for stuffed vegetables. Many vegetables are stuffed, most typically green peppers and eggplants. It is said that the Turkish have about 50 different recipes for making eggplants stuffed with minced meat, vegetables, rice, pine nuts, and raisins.
The main staple food in Turkey includes pastries for three meals a day. Rice and noodle are also available, but they come in soup.
Seafood plays a big part in Turkish everyday diet, as the sea embraces the country on three sides. Fish is usually fried or roasted. We saw no fish cooked in soup. Vegetable is frequently served raw. We had trouble getting used to eating raw vegetables.
Dessert is a must for daily meals. Most desserts come in with a thick layer of cheese and each has a beautiful name such as “beautiful lips” or “a woman’s navel”. No banquet is complete without a dessert as the last course.
Turkey abounds with fruit. Fruit is a must for every meal. Beverages include milk, black coffee, black tea. People there prefer beer, port wines, but they love spirits, too. Yoghurt is very popular.
We learned from our colleagues in Turkey that due to historical, geographic and religious reasons, the Turkey cuisine has exerted big influences on many Middle East countries and North African countries. The Turkish believe Turkey is one of the world’s three greatest countries in terms of finest cuisine: China, Turkey and France in that order.
During our visit to Turkey, we met with a lot of social celebrities and colleagues. They all expressed their appreciation of Chinese food. They looked eagerly forward to further cooperation and exchanges between the two countries in the field of culinary art.□