Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://specialtyfoodmagazine.epubxp.com/i/282647
I stanbul attracted more than 10 million visitors last year, which translates to a lot of people getting a taste of Turkish cuisine. Its fresh, healthful approach makes it poised to become a bigger star on the global stage. A legacy of the multicultural, multilingual Ottoman Empire, the stimulating fusion of several cuisines, cultures, and flavors make up a vibrant street food scene. A Slice of Istanbul Known for centuries as a strategic stop along the Silk Road, Istanbul is celebrated for its street food and meze, a melting pot of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Balkan, and Central Asian flavors. "It's one of the most complex cuisines in the world," says food and travel writer Jay Cheshes, who has reported on Istanbul's culinary scene for The Wall Street Journal. Street food is a main attraction, he says, "each stall or cart focused on one particular item." What you'll find among such vendors is spice-dusted, char-grilled lamb, beef, chicken, and merguez threaded on skewers. Prawn and octopus kebabs, slow-cooked peppers, bins of slow-cured Gemlik black olives, and fresh-squeezed orange juice are read- ily available. Cumin, oregano, red pepper f lakes, mint, and sumac (dried and ground red berries with a bright, sweet-sour f lavor) A historical merging of cultures and culinary traditions, Turkey—and its star city, Istanbul—offers a compendium of traditional street food. Already enjoyed stateside for its healthful and flavorful qualities, Turkish cuisine is just getting started on its American immersion. STREET FOOD TURKEY'S SPRING 2014 71 cuisineSpotlight_turkey.indd 71 3/17/14 9:19 AM