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Apartment hotel
2007-02-23 04:06:02
An Apartment Hotel (also ApartHotel, Apart Hotel and Apart-Hotel) is a type of accommodation, described as “a serviced apartment complex that uses a hotel style booking system”. It is similar to renting an apartment, but with no fixed contracts and occupants can ‘check-out’ whenever they wish. Apartment hotels are flexible types of accommodation; instead of the rigid format of a hotel room an apartment hotel complex usually offers a complete fully fitted apartment. These complexes are usually custom built, and similar to a hotel complex contain a varied amount of apartments. The length of stay in these apartment hotel is very varied with anywhere from a few days to months or even years. Prices tend to be cheaper than hotels. The people that stay in apartment hotels use them as a home from home therefore they are usually fitted with everything the average home would require. Origins Apartment hotels were first created in holiday destinations as accommodation f...
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Real Estate & Property in Kusadasi Turkey
2007-02-21 10:04:01
Kusadasi in Western Turkey is situated on the Aegean Sea and it is one of the country?s premier holiday hotspots as it offers a plethora of stunning sandy beaches, clear and pure waters, historic and cultural areas of interest aplenty together with great holiday amenities and facilities for the resort?s growing numbers of international visitors. Situated just 90km south of one of Turkey?s main cities Izmir, the town of Kusadasi is highly and easily accessible with flights to Izmir airport cheaply available from across Europe and transfers to Kusadasi swift, affordable and widely available.  As a result of the accessibility and attraction of this area of Turkey, property in Kusadasi has seen an intensity of foreign investor interest. Property investors are turning their attention to Turkey and focusing on the country?s sustained efforts to align their policies, laws, legislation, infrastructure and standards to those of a European nature.  International property investors are also be...
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Buying Property in Turkey
2007-02-21 10:04:01
In June 2006 Turkey liberalized the legislation relating to foreign ownership of property in a bid to begin aligning its real estate laws and regulations with those of the EU member states.  As a result of this liberalization there exists a rule known as the ?reciprocity principle? that allows foreign citizens to purchase freehold land and property in Turkey if Turkish citizens are allowed to buy freehold land and property in the country from which the foreign citizen heralds. This means that citizens of the UK, US and European Union countries can purchase property in Turkey for example and this article is a guide to buying property in Turkey for qualifying foreign purchasers. The first step in the process is of course to locate a suitable property to buy.  Certain restrictions apply relating to the areas in which foreign buyers can purchase land or property and a simple guideline is that if a property is close to Turkish military land or bases permission will be denied.  The owners...
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A selection from the Turkish kitchen
2007-02-21 10:04:01
When it comes to national dishes, Turkey has its own traditions and customs. Below you will see just a few ideas. Turkish pizza: Most places in Turkey serve pizza as we know it. The Turkish pizza is a little different but try it anyway. The size can vary from tiny to larger than a plate. The toppings are usually beef, onion, parsley and tomato purée, which are mixed together and put on top of bread dough. It will be served with a piece of lemon to be squeezed over the pizza. Of course there are many other varieties of toppings. The Turkish pizza has more oil than the pizza we know. Osmanish pan: A very special dish which gets its name from the Ottoman period in Turkish history. You can get the osmanish pan with lamb, beef or chicken. It is a stew with different vegetables and spices. The dish is made differently depending on the area and time of the year. Dessert: When it comes to desserts, the Turkish people love anything which is sweet - especially pastries, which are often soaked...
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Why Turkish kitchen is world class?
2007-02-21 10:04:01
When the best cuisines in the world are judged it comes as a surprise to most people that Turkish cuisine has been rated as one of the three great cuisines of the world, along with French and Chinese. However, if you take a look back in time, the explanation for the extraordinary Turkish food is more understandable. It was during the 500 years of Ottoman rule that Turkish culinary skills were developed.ccess to fresh ingredients was easy and infinite varieties of fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables and a countless number of spices were used. At the same time many people from different cultures settled in the country and this brought further inspiration to the cooking.mong other things found by archeologists was a board from ancient times and the various signs and symbols thereon have been deciphered to reveal a kind of cook book with a list of familiar ingredients and spices. All this is ours to enjoy today! Turkish specialities are numerous and certainly worth a try.
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Property in Bodrum Turkey
2007-02-21 10:04:01
Turkey is an incredible country - it is so rich in stunning natural beauty and history, its people are very welcoming and one of its prettiest resorts is definitely Bodrum .  This small town on the Aegean Coast is picture perfect with its beautiful harbour, whitewashed houses, narrow winding streets, glorious beaches and incredible castle. The destination is very popular with holidaymakers from around the world and property in Bodrum is most certainly in demand.  Having said that, because the Turkish real estate market is relatively new on the world investment property stage, property prices in Bodrum remain attractive. For example, it is currently possible to buy a resale modern one bedroom apartment in the town for as little as GBP 29,205.  Such an apartment has sea views and is located on a complex with manicured gardens, a shared pool, shared tennis courts and a mini-market and would make an ideal holiday home or overseas investment property. In the summer there are charter fligh...
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Finding Cheap Property for Sale in Turkey
2007-02-21 10:04:01
Many people consider Turkey to be an emerging market and to have cheap property for sale in abundance as a result ? while property prices across much of Turkey are far cheaper than in resorts in Spain for example, prices have been rapidly increasing over the past three years and now finding cheap property for sale in Turkey can be tricky. This article is a guide to finding affordable but decent Turkish property and it details some of the lesser known but desirable resorts in Turkey. The first place to discuss is Altinkum which has developed a reputation for being one of the most affordable of the Mediterranean resorts in Turkey.  A lot of the development in and around the town is apartment based which means that prices for a brand new home start from as little as GBP 45,000.  However, not all of the developments are well built and only the ones closest to the beaches will afford a property investor any guarantees of earning an income from holiday rental. For those looking for their ...
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Fethiye Real Estate Market Overview
2007-02-21 10:04:01
The lively town of Fethiye is situated on the Western Mediterranean coast in Turkey; the resort is just a 45 minute drive away from Dalaman?s international airport and has benefited greatly from substantial infrastructure improvements in recent years making it an accessible and popular location with holiday makers, expatriates and those looking for an investment property abroad. This article provides a Fethiye property market overview for investors and holiday home hunters; it also details the property opportunities in the nearby towns, villages and resorts that Fethiye is the administrative centre for. Fethiye comfortably curls around the Mediterranean Sea and is backed by impressive wooded hills and mountains, it is naturally shaded and benefits from a stunning climate for up to eight months of the year. As a result it has long been a popular area for travellers and tourists, and in recent years as the Turkish government has begun actively promoting tourism, Fethiye and the surro...
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Resale Property in Turkey
2007-02-21 10:04:01
When reading about and researching property investment options in Turkey the majority of emphasis is always on off plan or new build property - but resale property in Turkey can offer a good alternative for buyers with a smaller budget, purchasers looking for a renovation project or those seeking unusual properties often in superior locations. This is a comprehensive introduction to resale property in Turkey, what a buyer can get for their budget and the potential hurdles and pitfalls to watch out for and avoid. Anyone thinking of taking on a major renovation project in Turkey will be pleased to know that labour and materials are far cheaper than in Europe, the UK or North America, specialist skills such as stone masonry, carpentry and wrought iron making are easy to come by and with the right level of attention paid by the purchaser or their hired project manager to the renovation project, it need not cost the earth. Anyone interested in a resale apartment or villa in Turkey must f...
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Off Plan Property in Turkey
2007-02-21 10:04:01
The choice of off plan property in Turkey is huge ? from location to location across the Southern coastline of the nation there are villa developments and apartment blocks rising from the earth and representing a solid investment opportunity for international buyers seeking capital appreciation and/or a solid rental income from the growing tourism market that Turkey is doing everything it can to nurture. So with all the choice available what should a potential buyer be looking for when buying off plan real estate in Turkey? This is the ShelterOffshore guide to making the right choice when buying a pre-construction home in Turkey. First things first buying off plan is not as risky as many like to make out - so long as you do your due diligence on the property?s location and its constructor. While it is quite acceptable to put money down on a home that has yet to be started when you?re confident it will be completed on time and to a high standard, one should only do so when one is c...
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Where to Buy Property in Turkey?
2007-02-21 10:04:01
If you?re anything like us you?ll enjoy escaping the harsher winter weather that the Northern hemisphere suffers around about now by surfing the internet, looking at holiday brochures and property prospectuses and dreaming of living an exciting life in the sun!  Personally we like to browse property sites and holiday brochures and dream about where in the world we could own a home in the sun or even a holiday property abroad. One of the countries receiving considerable internet interest in 2007 is Turkey .  It makes sense ? after all Turkey is a nation that offers low cost coastal property stock enabling more buyers access to a home in the sun; and what?s more, property prices and interest are rising making property in Turkey an excellent investment choice as well as a perfect getaway in the sun.  However, because Turkey is such a vast nation with just so much coastline, you need to known where to buy property in Turkey to get the most for your money and to fulfil your plans for your...
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Priene, Miletus and Didyma
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Priene Priene which is in Güllübahce at a distance of 15 km from Söke (nearby Kusadasi, in the Aegean region of Turkey), was founded in the 2nd millennium and carried to its present locality in 350 B.C. from the original place which is still unknown. Temple of AthenaAt the point of entrance of the ruins, a road on the right leads us to the Theater of Priene. The theater had been built during the Hellenistic period, and underwent modifications during the Roman period. The theater consists of 50 rows of seats and is capable of holding 5.000 people and, in the section of the orchestra of the theater, there are five marble armchairs reserved for eminent people. On the right side of the theater, the Themenos of Egyptian Gods is situated. The upper Gymnasium is in front of the theater and the Byzantine church is at its side. The Temple of Athena belongs to the 4th c. B.C. and it is the work of the architect Pytheos who also built Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. The temple, with 6 x 11 columns...
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Foca (Phokaia)
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Foca is a cute little town on the Aegean Sea, 70 kilometers (some 40 miles) north of Izmir. It’s populations is around 36thousand people but in the summer time it goes up to 70 thousand with local and foreign holiday makers who prefer this area for its natural beauties, crystal clear water, small coves, and the climate. Some of Foca’s bays are rewarded with the Blue Flag, securing the clean waters of an area in the Mediterranean, these are; 1st Mersinaki Cove (Samata Beach), 2nd Mersinaki Cove (Club Phokaia Hotel), 4th Mersinaki Cove (Hanedan Hotel), 3rd Mersinaki Cove (Club Med Foca), Yeni Foca Canak cove (Pollen Hotel). The town has many traditional stone houses which some of them have been used as boutique hotels. Foca is also famous for its Mediterranean Seals (Monachus monachus), which are under preservation. Actually the city took its name from the seals. Pass 23 km north Eski (Old) Foca, there is Yeni (New) Foca town, which has many summer houses. It was originall...

Adiyaman - Nemrut Mountain
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Topping the karst limestone mountain of Nemrut Dagi (2150m/7056ft) in the south-eastern Taurus 90km/56 miles north-east of Adiyaman is the Hierothosion of the Kommagene King Antiochus I (69-38 B.C.), dedicated to his own glory and that of the gods. Antiochus’ tomb is concealed somewhere inside the 50m/164ft high man-made burial mound, with its spectacular terraces on three sides (east, north and west). The 80m/260ft long north terrace, lined with (collapsed) columns, served as a place of assembly and arena for processions and other rituals. On either side of the east terrace stand relieves of the King’s ancestors, paternal (Persian) to the north, maternal (Seleucid) to the south, framing the colossal figures of the gods (heads standing on the ground) facing the main altar. These include, in addition to eagles and lions, the Greco-Persian mixed deities Zeus - Oromasdes, Hercules - Verethragna - Artagnes - Ares, Apollo - Mithras - Helios - Hermes and Kommagene - Tyche, as ...
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Antalya - Aspendos
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Aspendos nearby Antal ya is famous for its best-preserved theater of antiquity built in the 2nd c. AD with a capacity of 15,000 people. Still used today for performances and festivals, the theater’s galleries, stage decorations and acoustics all testify to its architect Xenon’s success. Next to the stage there is a small room which is used as a small museum where you can see some of the masks and clay tickets. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora and one of the largest aqueducts in Anatolia. Here you can visit also the acropolis of the city with a great view of the river. The river passing next to the city is called Köprüçay (ancient Euromydon) and was navigable once upon a time. This was also the place where the Persians used to breed their horses between 6th-4th c. BC. during their rule in Asia Minor.
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Antalya - Perge
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Perge (18 kms from Antal ya ) was an important city in Pamphylia (today’s Mediterranean region). It was settled by the Hittites around 1500 B.C. Kestros (Aksu) river, which runs near acropolis, made Perge like a port because it was possible to navigate. An important trade route starting from Side run through Perge. It is also famous by the fact that when St. Paul started his journeys, he visited Perge in 46 A.D. and preached his first sermon here. That’s why it became an important city for the Christians during Byzantine period. Hellenistic gate of Perge To understand the importance of the city it is necessary to visit its remains. You can see the ruins of the antique theatre (capacity 12,000 people), its stage has marble relieves depicting the life of Dionysos; a stadium, which is in a shape of “U” for 12,000 people; remains of the first church built in Perge, an agora, which has dimensions of 76×76 m. and it’s surrounded by Corinthian columns, in ...

Cilicia and Pamphylia
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Cilicia The ancient kingdom of Cilicia in Asia Minor was the area known to the Assyrians as Khilakku in the west and Kue in the east. The western half, Cificia Tracheia (”rough Cilicia”), is the rugged and still largely inaccessible and undeveloped section of the Taurus stretching inland from Anamur, while to the east is the fertile Cilician plain of Cukurova, with its fields of grain and cotton and its banana and citrus groves. This division of what is now a flourishing agricultural region, with a well developed industrial base, still persists today, when Cilicia roughly falls into two Turkish provinces, Icel, with its capital at Mersin, and Adana, the area around the industrial city of the same name at the heart of the Cilician plain. Cilicia was never a kingdom in its own right for very long. It was too much of a buffer state, too often a prey to the power struggles of neighboring kingdoms. There is no doubting the fact, however, that this was among the regions that s...

Olympos, Chimaera and Phaselis
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Olympos Though a very ancient city nearby Antalya, in the Mediterranean coast of Anatolia, the early history of Olympus is shrouded in mystery. We know it was an important Lycian city by the 2nd century B.C., and that the Olympians worshipped Hephaestos (Vulcan), the god of fire. No doubt this veneration sprang from reverence for the mysterious Chimeira, an eternal flame which still springs from the earth not far from the city. The town declined in the 1st century B.C. until the arrival of the Romans in the 2nd century A.D. In the 3rd century pirate attacks brought impoverishment. In the Middle Ages, Venetians, Genoese and Rhodians built fortresses along the coast, but, by the 15th century Olympus had been abandoned. Today the site is fascinating, not just for its ruins that are fragmentary and widely scattered amidst the thick greenery of wild grapevines, flowering oleander, bay trees, wild figs and pines, but for its site, just inland from a beautiful beach along the course of a s...
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Kas, Kalkan and Aperlai
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Kas Kas was originally called Habesos or Habesa in the ancient tongue of Lycia and later was given the name Antiphellos. Kas was founded on the ancient town of Antiphellos and the Lycian style sarcophagus at the beginning of the avenue running down to the port is almost the symbol of this lovely town near Antalya in the Mediterranean region south of Turkey. Antiphellos, which once was a member of the Lycian League, is known to have gained reputation and importance as a port town during the Hellenistic period, sustaining its significance as one of the leading towns during the Roman period as well. Today’s Kas is a coastal town of the Lycians. “Phellos” is the Greek word for “stony place” and this name is very well suited to Kas. Its well preserved rock tombs and theater are well worth seeing. Kas today is a small and charming coastal resort where many sailing boats anchor in its small marina.
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Kusadasi - Guzelcamli
2007-02-20 22:03:01
Güzelçaml? is a sea-side town with own municipality in the district of Ku?adas? in Turkey’s Ayd?n Province, and a rising resort for tourists. It is situated at a distance of 25 kilometers following the shoreline south to the internationally famous tourism center of Ku?adas? and the town of Güzelçaml? borders on the Dilek Peninsula - Menderes Delta National Park. The town’s permanent population is around 10,000 but rises at least to around 50,000 and possibly more in the summer with the tourists and owners of secondary houses. Güzelçaml? is becoming increasingly popular in the market for Foreign purchases of real estate in Turkey. During the Ottoman period, the town used to be called Rumçaml?s? (Greek Çaml?) and was entirely populated by Greeks. In the last phase of the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922) (on 7 September 1922 precisely), with the Turkish army approaching, the town population had fled by boats and took refuge in the nearby island of Samos and the town had remain...
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Turkish Tea
2007-02-20 22:03:01
While both Chinese and Indians claim that they first discovered the use and drink of Tea thousands of years ago, Turk s evolved their own way of making and drinking the black tea (Çay in Turkish or Camellia Sinensis in Latin), which became a way of life for our culture. Wherever you go in Turkey, tea or coffee will be offered as a sign of friendship and hospitality, anywhere and any time, before or after any meal. Tea plantations and harvestThe production of tea in Turkey mainly started in the early years of the Republic along the eastern Black Sea Region. Many of the tea plantations are centered around the town of Rize, and from the Georgian border to Trabzon, Arakli, Rize, Karadere and Fatsa (near Ordu), reaching in some places 30 kilometers inland and reaching the height of around 1000 m. In 1947 the first tea factory was built in Rize and in 1965 the production of dried tea reached to the level of domestic consumption. The tasks of buying, processing and selling tea was conducted...
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Istanbul - Istiklâl Avenue
2007-02-19 04:00:05
?stiklal Avenue (Turkish: ?stiklal Caddesi) is one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul , Turkey, visited by nearly 3 million people in a single day over the course of weekends. Located in the historic Beyo?lu district, it is an elegant pedestrian street, approximately three kilometers long, which houses exquisite boutiques, music stores, bookstores, art galleries, cinemas, theaters, libraries, cafés, pubs, night clubs with live music, historical patisseries, chocolateries and restaurants. The avenue, surrounded by the unique nineteenth century Turkish architecture, starts from the medieval Genoese neighbourhood around Galata Tower and ultimately leads up to Taksim Square. Galatasaray Square is located at approximately the center of the avenue and is home to one of the finest educational institutions established in Turkey at the time of the Ottoman Empire; formerly known as the “Mekteb-i Sultani” (The School of the Sultans) and today known as Galatasaray Lisesi.

Istanbul - Taksim Square
2007-02-19 04:00:05
Taksim Square (Turkish: Taksim Meydan?) situated in the European part of Istanbul , Turkey, is a major shopping, tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels. It is considered the heart of modern Istanbul, and is the location of the Cumhuriyet Aniti (Republic Monument), which was built in 1928 and that commemorates the formation of the Turkish Republic. Taksim, was originally the point in Istanbul, where the main water line from north of Istanbul collected, and branched off to other parts of the city. This use for the area was established by Sultan Mahmut I. The square takes its name from the stone reservoir that is located on the side of the square. Aditionally, the Turkish word “Taksim” can refer to a special improvisational musical form that is guided by the Makam system. Taksim is a popular destination for both tourists and natives of Istanbul. Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue), a pedestrian mall, ends at the square, and a nostalgic tr...

The Kumru
2007-02-15 15:57:04
?Kumru? is a sandwich made from type of bread, which is unique to the Çe?me region of Turkey and in particular the Ilica district, where you can find lots of Kumru stalls and restaurants, often open well into the early hours of the morning. The bread is made from 100% natural products no additives are used and after the dough has been made it is allowed to rest so the yeast can work whilst occasionally being dipped in a Grape Juice product known locally as ?Pekmez.? The finished dough is then baked slowly in a “kara firin” which reduces the volume by 10% and drives out all impurities. The final result is a tasty, natural and pure Kumru bread Roll. The Kumru bread is then filled with a selection of Sucuk, ham, cheese, tomatoes, peppers and other tasty ingredients before being toasted over a charcoal grill and served. Competition is high and as a result so is the quality, a visit to Çesme / Ilica can not be complete without sampling one of these delicious sandwiches.

Turkish Delight
2007-02-15 15:57:04
Reay Tannahill suggests that the Persian confection ahbisa (jelly) was the ancestor of Turkish rahat lokum, the long name for the sweet. The etymology of the word lokum has puzzled linguists for many years; it seems to be a corruption of the Arabic word rahat-al hulkum, meaning the contentment of throat while in Ottoman Turkish it means a piece of contentment. So, “Turkish Deli ght ” may not be far off.[1] The history of lokum dates back 230 years. Turkish legend has it that in his endeavour to quell the rumblings of discontent within his harem, a Turkish sultan summoned all his confectionery experts and ordered them to produce a unique dessert to add to the collection of secret recipes for which he was famous. As a result of extensive research, lokum was born. In 1776, during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid I, Bekir Effendi, a fully apprenticed confectioner, arrived in Istanbul from a small town in Anatolia. Bekir set up in a little shop in the center of the city, and qui...
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Dolma
2007-02-15 15:57:04
Dolma is a verbal noun of the Turkish verb dolmak ‘to be stuffed’, and means simply ’stuffed thing’. Dolma, strictly speaking, is a stuffed vegetable, that is, a vegetable that has been hollowed out and filled with stuffing. This applies to tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and the like; stuffed mackerel, squid and mussel are also called “dolma”. Dishes involving wrapping leaves such as young vine leaves or cabbage leaves around a filling are called ’sarma’ though in many languages, the distinction is usually not made.Sarma is derived from the Turkish verb sarmak which means to wrap. Other variants derive from the Turkish word for ‘leaf’, yaprak. In some countries, the usual name for the dish is a phonetic variant of ‘dolma’; in others, it is a translation, sometimes the two have distinct meanings: Bosnian: dolma; Georgian: ????? tolma; Greek: ??????? [dol’mas] (grape-leaf), ??????? [yemis’ta] for vegetab...

Kumpir
2007-02-15 15:57:04
Kumpir, a popular Turkish fast food, is made from potatoes that are wrapped with aluminum foil and baked in special ovens. Then, the potatoes are cut straight from the middle and the insides are mixed with unsalted butter and puréed with ka?ar cheese added. This makes up for the plain kumpir. However, the popular kumpir includes a variety of materials used to stuff the potato: mayonnaise, ketchup, pickles, sweetcorn, sliced green and black olives, sausage slices, carrots, steamed peas, mushrooms and Russian salad -a special meze, made with cubed carrots, potatoes and peas-. The cafés in Ortaköy, ?stanbul make kumpir that are especially popular with the tourists and offer even more ingredients.

Kebabs of Turkey
2007-02-15 15:57:04
* Adana kebab? [3]: Kebab meat with chili, associated with Adana region although very popular all over Turk ey . * Alinazik kebab?: Ground meat kebap margarined in a saucepan, added with garlic, yogurt and eggplants. * Bahcivan kebabi ‘gardener’s Kebab’: Boneless lamb shoulder mixed with chopped onions and tomato paste. * Beyti kebab?: Minced lamb roasted with a special spice mix, and a touch of garlic, traced back to the famous kebab house Beyti in ?stanbul and particularly popular in Turkey’s larger cities. * Bu?u kebabi ’steamed kebap’: Cooked in low heat until the meat releases its moisture and reabsorbs it. * Ca? kebab? ’spoke kebab’: Cubes of lamb roasted first on a horizontal rotating spit and then on a skewer, a specialty of Erzurum region with recently rising popularity. * Çardak kebab?: Stuffed lamb meat in a crepe. * Ci?erli ka??t kebab? ‘liver paper kebab’: Lamb liver kebap mixed with meat and marinated with thyme...

Döner Kebab
2007-02-15 15:57:04
Döner kebab, literally “rotating meat” in Turkish, is sliced lamb or chicken loaf which is slowly roasted on a vertical rotating spit. It is similar to gyros, shawarma, and Taco al pastor. Döner kebab is most popularly served in pita bread, as it is best known, with salad, but is also served in a dish with a salad and bread or french fries on the side, or used for Turkish pizzas called pide or “kebabpizza”. Take-out döner kebab or shawarma restaurants are common in some parts of Europe. Döner Kebab is said to be the best-selling fast food in Germany and Poland, and comes close in the popularity stake-outs in France, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Australia. Take-out gyros are quite popular in the United States, where beef and lamb are typically used. Shawarma is available in ethnic neighborhoods, but döner kebab is mostly unknown outside of large cities like New York City. Kebabs contain a variety of food groups: they have bread (cereals group), cabbag...

Baklava
2007-02-15 15:57:04
The history of baklava, like that of many other foods, is not well documented. Though it has been claimed by many ethnic groups, the best evidence is that it is of Central Asian Turkic origin, but its current form was developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkap? Palace. Other claims about its origins include: that it is of Assyrian origin, dates back to ancient Mesopotamia, and was mentioned in a Mesopotamian cookbook on walnut dishes; that al-Baghdadi describes it in his 13th-century cookbook; that it was a popular Byzantine dish; and so on. But Claudia Roden and Andrew Dalby find no evidence for it in Arab, Greek, or Byzantine sources before the Ottoman period. Vryonis (1971) identified the ancient Greek gastris, kopte, kopton, or koptoplakous, mentioned in the Deipnosophistae, as baklava, and calls it a “Byzantine favorite”. However, Perry (1994) shows that though gastris contained a filling of nuts and honey, it did not include any dough; instead, it involved a ...
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