Rolling Grape Leaf

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A very popular Turkish dish. Very famous dish. In all regions. Very difficult cooking. Most favorite at tea parties, cocktails, picnics and hosting the guests. Of course, my most loved dish! Can be cooked in two ways. (1) with minced meat (2) olive oil. First way is served with yoghurt. Second is served as cold appetizer. We are now into second way: zeytinyağlı yaprak dolması as we call in turkish, also known as grape leaf rolls with olive oil:



A)) Here's your +++ ingredients list+++

1. 500g vine leaves, but try to find thin leaves!
2. 1.5 cups rice
3. 1 kg onion
4. 1 glass of olive oil
5. 3 cups boiling water
6. 2 teaspoon sugar
7. 1 tablespoon redcurrant
8. 1 teaspoon pimento
9. 1 lemon
10. A pinch of salt
11. A pinch of black pepper


B)) Here's your +++ instructions+++

1. Peel the onions. Cut them very thin. At low heat, sauté without oil. When the color of onions is changing, add oil in.
2. Add the rice. Now continue sauté.
3. Add 1.5 cups of boiling water. Then sugar.
4. Add all of the spices: salt, mint, pimento, blask pepper.
5. Adjust lower heat and simmer until rice absorbs all the water.



6. Fun now starts:) Wrap a spoonful of this mixture in each leaf.




+++Note+++ The vine leaves can be pickled in brine, so easily to be used out of the season. Like my leaves I use today, in December! In this case, what do we do? Leaves should be firstly soaked in warm water to reduce the salt. Don't forget this before starting your rolling process!







7. When finished, lay them all neatly in a saucepan and squeeze a lemon over them.





Now my dolmas (=leave wraps) are ready! I am going for the following steps:

8. Pour 1.5 cups of boiling water. Bring back the heat to the boiling.
9. When water is boiling, get lower the heat, and cook until the water has completely gone.
10. Transfer to a serving dish when cool.
11. Garnish with many lemon slices!

+++ ? +++

If it was your last meal, what would you eat? Share please...

Seperate The Wheat From The Chaff

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In a quote Alice May Brock says:

"Tomatoes and oregano make it italian; wine and tarragon make it french; sour cream makes it russian; lemon and cinnamon make it greek; soy sauce makes it chinese; garlic makes it good."

Only good, may I ask...?

I believe that sarmısak (garlic) makes every dish the most tasteful! I would make an important addition to her quote, garlic makes it turkish! Because it is the most important element in world famous turkish dish called "kebap".

my garlic in the kitchen

As for myself, I die for it: eating raw garlic. I would like to eat it anytime anywhere with no shame but it seems impossible for example during work lunch and dinner, however the possibility exists only when I am at home. Did you know builders of the ancient pyramids were said to eat garlic daily for enhanced endurance and strength.

By the way, does anyone know what makes Kenyan kitchen? Always interested in Africa and African kitchen with its wide range of ethnic food..

All Millionaires Love...

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Nobody knows, I love it more than the millionaires:) Most symmetrical, very fit and blonde veggie;) Going to boil them immediately, my very well-qualified one..

MUTFAK watch

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Mutfak (English: Kitchen) means a little if you are not there. Accessories mean nothing if the experience is not there.

*remark in red for turkish
1. Oklava /at least 60cm -24" long, thin rolling pin to make pastries

2. Sahan /small, shallow pan for Sunday morning's egg dishes

3. Seramik kase /ceramic (or glassware) bowls for soups

4. Çay seti /Turkish tea set with tea glasses and double teapot. Oh, remember we are a teacholic nation!

5. Kahve seti /Turkish coffee set with coffee cups and coffeepot. Coffee comes after tea for Turkish people!

6. Tahta kaşık /Wooden spoons. Characteristically hand-carved, a must for stirring stew.

7. Porselen tabaklar /Porcelain dishes

8. Fırın tepsileri /Baking trays

9. Bıçak ve kesme tahtası /Knives and chopping board and,

(klik klik to enlarge only these copper photos)

At Eminönü, lined with shops

opportunity to purchase their wares

to suit every taste and pocket!

10. Bakır tencere ve cezve /Copper pots and pans


This is ten "essential items" for any Turkish kitchen, so that arouse my desire, our appetite to cooking! If my tools are not align with what I do, all of the clever tactics I can come up with to follow my lofty goal will make the cut. Unless I can use my accessories inspiring our culture!

Because of their shape, the material made from or the way an item is used, our tools create seriously a difference in some dishes. To cook and taste better is the fact when using traditional turkish equipment of 10 above. One of them is deep and larger copper pans, completely tinned that they are widely used in most of houses and Turkish restaurants. Copper conduct heat fantastically, so foods cook quickly and evenly! Superior flavor of pilaf can be found if cooked in a copper pan!

Still the most important commercial center of the historical peninsula, Eminönü is the place that offers a chance to see craftsmen at work and to purchase wares, especially copper pot and pans. Istanbul's endless variety fascinates its visitors and me as well transporting anyone to their fantasies of the mystical old Istanbul days. Pretty fantastic to wander through the shops and collecting photos with my camera (above) even though the astounding displays of enthusiastic capitalism in the world:)

Tell me, what are the essential items in your kitchen?

What Are You Eating Now?

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I love lemon and lemony dishes very much. This evening I will go for tagliatelle with lemon. It will be ready under half hour, so I enjoy cooking it a lot. Helps me to save my time for other things because I dislike spending much time in the kitchen:)

Look what I need for it:
400 gr tagliatelle + zest of 3-lemons + juice of 1- lemon + 1 tsp olive oil + 50 gr creme + parmesan + pepper and salt

Here is how to cook:
Cook tagliatelle in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain. Warm oil olive in a sauce pan. Add the zest and cook low for 2 minutes. Mix in the creme, boil and add the lemon juice. Stir well and boil again. Did cream start thicken? OK, now time to season with some pepper. Add salt if you wish (I never use salt in my dishes.) Mix in the plenty of parmesan. Cook another one minute or so. Put the drained pasta and mix gently.

Serve immediately on a warmed dish. I like to sprinkle some more the zest of lemon and parmesan over the pasta, optional of course.

You see.. it's simple. easiest. quickest. lemony. creamy. very refreshing. luscious. incredible yellow. and perfect for going light. Welcome spring with fresh lemons:) Now what are you eating?

[ limon = lemon

file = string bag ]

Day 2: Tulips

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No great thing is created suddenly.
~Epictetus (AD 55 - AD 135)

[ click on my photos to enlarge ]

Used as a café on the weekends, I enter in the Pink Pavilion at the Emirgan Park. It's two storey, classical Ottoman House. Not because of the pink tulips, but named for the pink color of cranesbill (=geranium) flower. Dreaming to live spring in this finely ornamented mansion among pink tulips, and continue visiting inside but I notice outside also heavenly heavily pink, pink, pink...

Not only the Emirgan Park is gorgeous to look at, but this store is as stunning as it can be! One of my most favorite shops in Turkey! Here are a few of my most liked tulip-inspired finds, attention for their tulip designs, prints and shapes:

white wine glass :: wine carafe

wine bottle :: palace style bowl (big size)

bowl - white&blue vase

candle holder :: water glass

vase :: vase

Really aren't these gorgeous? I want one of each products for my house! And such beautiful and unique designs.... oh! See the list and unit prices here

You can browse all stylish one-of-a-kind handmade products in Paşabahçe on-line store


ps- the site is in turkish. on-line shopping also available if you are interested in. if or when you need information about the products and/or shopping do not hesitate to ask me or send me an e-mail.

Meet Me In The Kitchen, Honey

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Wondering how you would answer this question:

"If your love was a cake or cookie, how would you describe it in the cake/cookie format?"

Aşk, meaning Love, is so special feeling that everyone has surely a different way to live and comment as well. Above question from Keyveni that is the first and only boutique catering Turkish company, was a kind of inviting to me. The kid in me said "Yes, participate and answer!" So, I was not wanting to be late. Deadline was feb 9th to send the recipe.

Here's what I came up with:

*I'd be likely be candid in what I write about, because love matters.
*I'd contemplate the question a bit more outright fantasy,
*I'd think with my brain, but write with my heart as always in whatever I do.

I was ready. I could not wait to reveal my inner amateur kitchen artist;) Started penning to just create magic.

On the other side, I was not sure when I think of how high capable and very talented turkish women and housewives. I was honestly not hoping if my recipe could rise above the limitations of others, and... A good news to make my day: My recipe was selected 1-of-top 10 best among lots of recipes! (below)


Being a naturally curious, interested and willing to try new things, I thought this was a really good result but enough surprising as I have never been so good to practice & develop my cooking/baking abilities because of my work life.

Maybe the coolest feeling I can get is it happens when we dare to dream. It just makes me smile inside and outside. Cooler still is the power of penning about something I love to do.

Sad news, my recipe was not be placed in first 5 of the second final selection. If it was then I would be awarded to join the Aşkın Lezzetleri (St Valentine Day's Baking) Workshop. I do not mind. Because it was my very first time to officially test my baking capacity. I believe I did an unexpectedly good hit even though my weak skills in kitchen work.

Name of my recipe is "Muzlu Nutellalı Muffinim Ol!", meaning "Be my Banana Muffin with Nutella Drops!"

From today I can grow like a new kitchenstar:) Perhaps a promising Baking&Pastry Book writer of the future..:)

How about you? Are you an awarded recipe owner? If you are not, what's your most favourite recipe to describe your love to yours? Only name here please, I'd appreciate.

Best Frozen Frenzy

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In mid-January, a sweet and not-fat something is greatly appreciated!


Our hot weather put me in the mood for a cold dessert or drink recently. The photo you see was taken the last weekend when I walked down the Bagdat Street to a shop. In fact I must have passed it about a thousand times and promised myself a zillion times, but this time I wanted to try out this new froyo place:

What a creamy! It is...


Cefiore, www.cefiore.com, California based frozen yogurt chain is now bringing italian yogurt to Istanbul since it has opened its first shop in Bağdat Street 5-months ago.

Why I like it?

Crafts all natural yogurt. Non-fat, very good quality! Their toppings are from fresh fruits and also have dry ones like chocolate chips, crunches. Staff is very nice and friendly! The place is comfortable. In a walking distance from my home. And, I am a froyo lover since this craze hit me when I was in the States:)

Next time I am planning to try for their delicious waffles with my choice of yogurt flavor. Even though frozen yogurt is a new product here in Turkish food market and ice cream consumption per person is really low at 2.7 liters/capita that's a figure way behind Europe and the US, I think this creamy delicious will gain at least 5 percent share quickly.

For interested Istanbulities, definitely a place to check out! Here is the address:

Bağdat Caddesi No:366/C
Şaşkınbakkal

It's never too cold or hot for a froyo, ever:)

Making Yufka

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For the longest time I have wanted to try learning and making yufka (English: Phyllo). It's my 5 o'clock tea time weakness with some salty cheese, minced meat, spinach, potatoes or other veggies inside a yufka. I really wanted to know if it would be that much more difficult like making bread? Speaking myself, I'm pretty good at making pancakes and crépes without burning them but I always dreamed of to make our turkish yufka...


Although our weather is still going perfect, I know it will end before too long. While it is really coming flour weather here soon, why not I said myself.

So I spent my Sunday late evening taking a class from my mother. Personally I do not really eat whites too much but this way I'd like to please the gatherings for our Sunday dinner and my tea+coffee times:)

Before starting the process I'm required to make ready a few items by her:

Needed for...

1/2 glass water
2 eggs
2 glasses flour -above photo-
6 and 1/2 spoons butter or margarine
salt

After making a dough by mixing well and kneading these ingredients, sprinkle the dough with flour. Let it stand for 15-min as covered with a clean cloth.

Finished the waiting period? Good. Now the most hard, quick and talent required second part starts:

with a rolling pin roll the dough to a thickness of 2cm. Spread 3-spoons of softened butter. Cut the dough into 3 or 5 pieces, placing one on top of the other. Roll the 3 pieces again. Spread on the remaining butter. Cut again into 3 pieces and place one on the other. Knead well for a few minutes. Shape into a ball. Divide the dough into pieces, shall be a little bigger than the size of my tennis ball:)

ready to roll out each of these balls to obtain a "yufka" as seen above -very thin sheets of dough. Using the rolling pin.

wrap up, wrap it up drizzling some flour on...

widen it until reach a 60cm in diameter...

repeat the steps above...


main duty is to have real thin layers as my mother did! Question is what I could make using this phyllo?


Once I am able to make successfully thin sheets, then the funny part of the process begins: they are layered, folded in various shapes as you like before being filled with cheese or meat, and baked or fried.

Giving examples:

Think about börek (boureko) and baklava! Both are syrup soaked pastries made with phyllo dough are very well-known turkish favorites. They are popular throughout the former Ottoman Empire.

Let me share my opinion here that there's nothing quite like a phyllo dough! We know how to shop for a commercially sold phyllo but making a homemade dough, roll it out with a rolling pin and finally to fond it to create the delicious sweet and savory creations for our Turkish cuisine is so famous!

I know it requires great skill and patience unless you have thin sheets of dough. My mother who accomplishes this delicate task using her rolling pin became the most sought-out person in her circle of friends as well as the family. One day me too..

In the end, I'm so pleased that I took some of my time and learned how to make it under her guidance. I will certainly be making this again and again because I'm still not so good at making it thin. As said, practice makes the perfect:)

If you are interested in healthy home cooking, please see Jane's to reach a series of worldwide recipes and funny stories. Remember today we happily share one more new Corner View theme that's about "favorite dish"