Between two worlds

Geographic location and religion both have a major influence on eating habits in Turkey. Though it is based on several hundred year old traditions, Turkish cuisine has changed significantly as a result of European influence. Old traditions live on in rural areas. In Ottoman times, there used to be two main meals, one late in the afternoon and one in the evening. Today, there are three and even four in some regions, where an extra dinner is also eaten. Kebab, fish, köfte and lahmacun restaurants represent traditional Ottoman cuisine, as well as traditional cafes. Small portions are served and a lot of bread is eaten. Coffee is served ceremonially, according to strict tradition. Breakfast usually includes cheese, olives, bread, eggs and jam, with tea as the primary drink. Soups, stews and salads are eaten for lunch. Meat and desserts which take longer to prepare are not consumed at lunchtime. The main meal is dinner, which is composed of soup, a main dish, salad and dessert. This is when the whole family eats together.
Turkish cuisine has had a major influence on European gastronomy. In the second half of the 20th century, Turkish immigrants brought their habits and restaurants to Western Europe. Kebab is the best known Turkish food in modern catering. Real kebab is minced lamb or sheep made with garlic, onions, tomato, and paprika. Meat is always sliced from the outermost layer. Turkish sweets, like bahlava are very popular in Europe. Bahlava is a collective term used for at least 12 different sweets, each with an exotic name of its own.