Exploring the culture, history, and cuisine of Turkey through the eyes of not-just-another-tourist
Happy New Year! Are you wondering how to make a lovely breakfast this New Year's morning, but as an expat, don't know how to make pancakes without a box mix from Aunt Jemima or Bisquick? Well, do I have news for you! Here is an easy recipe and all of the ingredients are readily available... Continue Reading →
Every year there are new comers to Ankara with the same questions we all had. How do we celebrate Christmas in Ankara? Celebrating one of the biggest of the Christian holidays while living in a Muslim country doesn't have to be as difficult as you may think. The key is to lower expectations. Think about... Continue Reading →
Thanksgiving 2102 Ankara. It was fabulous! Below are my photos of what happens when you share a beloved American holiday with 20 others, mostly Turks, and most of whom lived in the U.S. at some point. They get it. They know how to enjoy it. Even Lucky enjoyed the evening . . . This year,... Continue Reading →
So it's Thanksgiving time again. And I love it. My favorite holiday. Good food. Family. Arlo Guthrie. A Christmas Story. Pieces of April. These are my traditions. I was feeling a little blue this year and after the last trip home, decided I would skip Thanksgiving. That was the plan, until about a week... Continue Reading →
I apologize for not having written lately. I just haven't had time. But I do have a quick question for Turkish restaurant owners . . . Do you have any idea what a "Cover Charge" is? I will tell you. It is typically used to cover live entertainment. I somewhat get that in tourist locations,... Continue Reading →
Did I get your attention? Sorry, this post is not about the actual empire. Rather, it is about my idea for a new business should I ever move back to the States. The business will be called, "The Ottoman Kumpir." "What is Kumpir?" Glad you asked. Kumpir is a stuffed potato, similar to the beloved... Continue Reading →
Yet another holiday recently gave us the opportunity for a long weekend trip. We decided to visit Bursa and the region of Çanakkale. We drove from Ankara, and the first stop was İnegöl. We only stopped briefly for lunch as it is known for its İnegöl Köfte. I got a real kick out of the newspaper on top... Continue Reading →
A day in the life of anyone can bring with it the good, the bad, and the ugly. A typical day for most adults is probably something like this: Get up. Go to work. Grab a quick lunch. Work some more. Head home. Eat dinner. Go to bed. Of course, there's room for a little... Continue Reading →
Did you know that in Turkey, you can go to the local bakery (bread baker, not the pastry maker) and buy a ball of dough? Then you can use it for your own yummy creations. Yesterday I made strombolis! Obviously, I am no expert. But they sure were yummy! I sauteed red peppers, onions, and... Continue Reading →
Below are photos from my husband's birthday breakfast, back in March. Just kidding Hon, I know it was April. Anyway, I came across these photos today and upon further inspection, there is one dish I know I baked, but I have no idea what it is! Do you? And yes, I baked a cake. ... Continue Reading →
People often tell me that I am a creative person. I can't disagree with that. I love many things that one would traditionally call creative, music, arts, etc. But I don't agree that a person is only considered creative if they participate in these fields. I mean, if you really like to work on cars... Continue Reading →
There's been a lot of discussion here in Ankara since I wrote my first post about Masala Cafe. That was April 2010, shortly after my arrival to this great city. As you may recall, (or can see from that review), I loved the restaurant! The restaurant is located in my neighborhood, so I frequented it... Continue Reading →
Many of you are aware that I am not a baker. Remember this post, To Bake or Not to Bake? In fact, I don't even like cake that much. Now a nice pie, that's a different story! Lemon Meringue, blueberry, pumpkin . . . Anyway, my husband loves cake almost as much as he loves... Continue Reading →
Musings of a Philadelphia lawyer - who married a Turk, quit her day job, and set out for adventure!
-by Terry Henson Kaymak
Adventures in Ankara 