Istanbul is fairly Westernized as far as cities go-- you can find a McDonald's or a Starbucks anywhere, and they eat more french fries here than people do in the States. But if you're feeling adventurous, there's always something Turkish to try.
Yesterday I had my first ciğ kofte. Technically this means "raw meatball;" the name comes from the way these used to be made, as raw meat kneaded for a long time instead of being cooked. With the stricter food safety regulations put in place in preparation for EU membership, however, ciğ kofte is now strictly vegetarian. It's actually a spread that you eat in a wrap, though I got a free sample wrapped in lettuce. It was spicy, with a texture like mashed potatoes, and quite good! If you ever have the chance to try it, though, don't look at it too hard-- it's not the most appetizing meal I've ever eaten.
No comments:
Post a Comment