Morning Coffee Break turned into Major Road Trip

We are staying in Yahsi, a little seaside village of Bodrum.  Around here, every corner you turn is a new thrill, all the different bays have a different taste, a different feel to them; I have been planning to discover the other provinces in the area since I got here.  This morning I decided to take the opportunity of taking my mother-in-law out for coffee to go exploring. I put her in the passenger seat, started a commentary about our surroundings and began to drive.  There is road work going on between Bodrum and Ortakent and in order to avoid this I started to use the back-roads through Bitez, but I am not as familiar with the back roads for someone who is taking short cuts should be, ended up farther ahead of my intersection and didn't even realize it until I got into Bodrum.  I started off with the intention of going to Gundogan, but we found ourselves half way to the airport, totally north of the peninsula, on the road to Torba.  This turned out to be a pleasant surprise since the landscape around Torba is really beautiful and it's not as developed as other areas;  we could smell the pines surrounding us.

We past Torba and headed towards GolTurkbuku, this area has recently become very popular so I wasn't sure what to expect. All I know about Turkbuku is that it is the hangout of all Istanbul society and most of the big name hotels, restaurants or clubs have opened beaches and clubs here. So it was a big surprise to follow the signs for GolTurkbuku and find ourselves in a little village with humble guesthouses and motels.  I started driving into every little street I could find that headed in the direction of the water to find us a tea-garden or a cafe.  None of the narrow streets near the water had any available parking and the closest teahouse was quite a distance.  I finally found a large parking lot that belonged to a hotel, parked my car, helped my mother-in-law out of the car and headed straight for the tables set out in front of the yard.  When we questioned the parking attendant, we found out that we were actually in Golkoy and Turkbuku was the next bay over; the two municipalities together was called GolTurkbuku.  

The boats lined up before us advertised moonlight tours of different bays and coves.  There were small hotels and beaches lined up all along the shoreline.

We sat in the shade with a wonderful breeze and enjoyed our Turkish Coffee while watching the little bay and the people suntanning or swimming.  The sea seemed to be very clean and clear.  The combination name had me confused at first but now I realized that all the fuss must've been about Turkbuku.  Golkoy seemed like a lovely area, luckily, not spoiled yet, by overdeveloping.  After coffee, we took off to see if we could find Turkbuku.  The roads here have no logic to them, you go up and down hills and not necessarily end up where your sense of direction tells you to expect to end up but that's the beauty of driving around in such a place.  Getting lost is so much fun, you get to see all kinds of little streets and cute houses you would not normally get to see.  I really liked driving around the streets of Golkoy and taking photographs.  My only suggestion to anyone interested in coming here is to get in a vehicle and drive around, get lost and enjoy, you never know what will turn up around the next corner.

There were so many lovely homes with beatiful flowers on their doorsteps, I wasn't sure what to capture.  I am afraid the time of day and my Blackberry couldn't do justice to the essence of this charming place.

Finally, we made it to the main road and found our way into Turkbuku in a couple of minutes.  We drove down toward the shore to find the main pedestrian street by the water; it was open to cars at the time but we were informed that it would be closed in ten minutes, at noon.  It was getting hot out and I wanted to get my mother-in-law back home, this turned out to be just a scouting trip - we had to come back another time to explore Turkbuku.  Just as we were turning around I got a call from home, asking for tomatoes and lemons; fortunately today the bazaar was setup in Turkbuku. 

I ran in and out but not before taking a couple of pictures and buying a wooden spoon from a mobile vendor. He was calling out that he had the best 'Simsir Kasik' (Boxtree Spoon) I asked him about his spoons and why they were so expensive and he insured me that there was no way anything could happen to these best quality spoons.  I told him I could get them for 1 Lira in Istanbul while he was asking for 5.  With a huff, he finally pulled one out, stuck it in my bag and said 'Here you go, take it and go.'  I gave him all the change I had in my pocket and we said goodbye.  I have a thing for wooden spoons, I refuse to cook with anything else; I put this one in my suitcase as soon as I got home.  It is flat and suppose to be used to stir 'pilav' (Rice).  I will have to try it out to see if it really is as good as he says, because stirring 'pilav' is a risky business, it can get sticky.

We made our way back driving from Turkbuku to Yalikavak and then home to Yahsi again.  It was a nice road trip I hope to repeat again, hopefully this time using the shorter route so we will have more time to enjoy the view.

My Solution for an Empty Nest Syndrome.

I woke up feeling a little bereft this morning.  Both the boys were gone, Hasan had returned to New Jersey last week, Murat had left on a sailing trip for a week...it was just my husband, my mother-in-law, Bostan and I left in the house...  and today was Hasan's birthday too... So what do we do now, I asked myself, even before I got out of bed...  Since I was the first one out of bed, I moped around for a bit waiting for everyone to wake up. After a while I started to plan our breakfast, my brilliant solution to a mellow mood...  I would make eggs... something a little creative, maybe... Then my husband woke up and I asked him how he would like his eggs, his  response was 'Menemen' not at all surprising since this is his usual response to this question nine times out of ten.  'Menemen' is a Turkish invention that can be eaten for breakfast or for a meal since it is made with tomatoes and peppers and even at times, onions.  I am not sure if there is any one set recipe, as long as you add tomatoes and eggs.  I just go by whatever I have on hand at the moment or however the mood strikes me.  Here are the general guidelines:

'Menemen' (Eggs with tomatoes)

Olive oil
Eggs
Tomatoes
Peppers (Red or green)
Onion (Optional)
Parsley (Optional)
Cheese (Feta- Optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

The following is how I prepared the eggs in the picture... you have free reign... go wild...

1.  I put 1 Tbspn of olive oil and 1 Tbspn vegetable oil in a pan and
2.  sautéd the diced red peppers  (1 big pepper)  meanwhile
3.  I put two big tomatoes in boiling water for two minutes (this will help to peel them very, very easily), took  them out, peeled and diced them;
4.  threw the tomatoes into the pan as well, keep on sautéing on low heat, till the liquid had evaporated from the tomatoes and only the oil was left with the vegetables in the pan - this takes about 10-15 minutes.
5.  I made little indentations in the tomato mixture and broke 5 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks into this.
6.  Closed the lid for a little bit and let it cook.
7.  I checked after a couple of minutes to see if the egg whites had started to cook- from now on everything depends on your taste- we don't like our eggs to be cooked too much so
8. when the eggs whites started look like they had started to set (Turned a white color from the clear liquid) I put my 1/2 cup of shredded feta cheese in at this point and cook until the cheese has melted,
9.  add the 2 Tbspn of chopped parsley and keep it on the heat for another minute and serve.

Afiyet Olsun...
Bon Apetite...

Note: If you want to add onions, add them with the peppers and cook them until they turn yellow.  You can use any kind of cheese but feta is the best suited one in my opinion.
Be forewarned, you will consume lots and lots of bread with this meal.  The best would be Turkish bread, of course, but a baguette or a sour dough will do fine as well.

Our Saturday Ritual in Turgutreis

Bodrum, Turkey

Most of my life I’ve felt like a visitor passing through without belonging to any place in particular; I would be forever getting ready for the next trip. When I was a teenager growing up in the States, I used to think that if we owned a summer house in Turkey, I would have a place and friends to call my own and feel a sense of normalcy somehow.  While most of my friends were envious of my life of jet setting across the Atlantic back and forth, I always envied their simple summer plans of going away to the same place to be with the same people, doing the same things.   Even having a family didn’t make a difference in my life, now I was moving the whole family back and forth. These were the thoughts I always had to contend with as I agonized over our summer plans every single year; we never were able create the stable atmosphere I had been longing for.    Maybe due to the fact that we now live in New Jersey, we were finally able to realize this lifelong dream of mine and get a house in Bodrum this summer.  Ironically, now it’s the boys who want to make plans of staying put and living like a normal teenager while we are dragging them here, for their own good.

I feel we have finally succeeded in creating the perfect atmosphere this summer of sharing good times with loved ones in one of the most beautiful parts of Turkey, a summer to remember and to repeat.  We feel at home and a part of a community that we are already making plans to return to next year; this is due in part to some simple rituals we have established as a part of our life here.  We go into Turgutreis every Saturday to have lunch, 'Manti' (Turkish Ravioli) especially prepared for us; Ali, the proprietor/chef asks us early on in the week, the only question of how many people it will be this Saturday.  So far, we have been there every week as a family with slight variations within the group.  This week our niece, Aydan, her husband, Yucel, my cousin, Ozlem, and her husband, Mehmet joined us.  Murat was suppose to leave for Marmaris, to go sailing,  but he just couldn’t go before he had his ‘Manti’ with the family and then my husband had to rush him into Bodrum to catch his bus.  

Another ritual is our shopping forays into the Turgutreis Saturday bazaar.  This week we had to pick up a couple of things for Murat to take with him on his trip so I took him to the textile part of the bazaar while Mehmet went to get our vegetables.  It was an incredibly hot and crowded day but still worth it for the photo opportunities it afforded if nothing else.  I have been checking out the colorful fabrics they have on display, trying to find excuses for buying the whole lot every week; I have to come up with something soon, since I won't get another chance after next week and I know I will be dreaming of these fabrics when I get home and kicking myself if I leave without buying anything.  Having a seventeen year old is not very conducive to this kind of frivolous shopping so I had to leave the bazaar without a single purchase this week as well.  I have some mean plans for next Saturday though, I just might get up at the break of dawn to beat the heat and the crowds and go crazy.  I have heard from my sister-in-law that the stands are setup before dawn, this I have to check out for myself and add to my list of unique experiences. 

Even as Murat was dragging me by the scruff of my neck, I was still able to get a couple of shots of the colorful array.

This is my favorite stand of table cloths and bedspreads and towels made from 100% natural cottons.  My newest obsession is the 'Pestamal', sarong-like cloths worn wrapped around in the Turkish Baths that absorb moisture like a regular towel and weigh next to nothing.  I have been buying them every time I go into the bazaar and I think I will take a dozen back with me to give as presents.  I have bought another variety of 'Pestamal' to use as a table cloth.  This place is a paradise for someone like me who is crazy enough to have a collection of textiles worthy of a seamstress.

After getting back across the street to the vegetable vendors, I couldn't resist taking more pictures of the stands there.  I am not sure if its the colors or the abundance of the array, I am totally fascinated with the displays. 

  

These are the dried vegetables sold by the spice vendors.  The dried eggplant is used to make a 'Dolma' using cracked wheat instead of rice with ground lamb and red pepper (according to taste, of course), in the winter months when they don't have the fresh vegetable.  The end result is something out of this world, to put a bit of sustenance in to anybody suffering in the cold, dreary winter months. 

I wonder if these textile would help to chase away the winter blues as well...

Breakfast at Gumusluk

I guess I must’ve read about it in a book at some point… having breakfast in Gumusluk… wherever I got the idea, this has been a picture I have been carrying around in my mind for the longest time.  It doesn’t sound like an impossible task but I was never able to realize this in our past trips to the area.  We would be staying in a different section of Bodrum and usually come by in the evenings for dinner or to have tea at the teahouse in the town square,  something that is mentioned in most guidebooks.  I don’t know how many times we came by here for these, but never in the morning for breakfast. 

There is something that appeals to me about early mornings.  Every city or town has a special feel in the morning that distinguishes it from all the rest like no other time of day; whenever I travel I love to get up early to experience that mood which I feel is especially mine to discover.  It’s usually me and the locals that are up and about at such hours; I love the smells and the sounds that can be deciphered more clearly and give the place its essence. 

When I left for my summer vacation, the first goal I had in mind was to give myself a time-off from the chaos of my mind that tends to go into overdrive as soon as I wake up… aka… sleep late.  This has been working out quite nicely and I have been waking up at hours I can’t seem to recall waking up at, maybe ever.  Unfortunately, the season being what it is and the heat during the day limiting our activities has made it a little difficult for me to get to some of the places I had planned on going to.  Gumusluk was on the top of my list of places I wanted to visit and I finally realized my only chance might be if I get up early enough in the morning. 

I first came to Gumusluk more than twenty years ago, with my husband-to-be and the impression it has left on me is still unaltered; this has to be one of cutest little villages I know of anywhere.  At the time, it was just a couple of seafood restaurants situated around a little cove, a teahouse in the town square and a few shops. Today it is a lot more restaurants, gourmet cafes, art studios and beach clubs but the same charming atmosphere still prevails.  It is reached by driving through, olive groves, orchards, small villages and quaint dwellings for about fifteen minutes from the main road between Bodrum and Turgutreis, following the signs for Gumusluk or Myndos.  It is the end of the road and you have to park your car here and walk around on foot to enjoy all that Gumusluk has to offer. 

Just as I was getting ready for bed last night, I remembered that I still hadn’t been to Gumusluk and going to breakfast there would be my new experience of the week (on any kind of trip outside of my regular dwelling, I always try to do at least one new thing that I had never tried before) So, I got up at 7.30 this morning and was on my way in ten minutes.  I hadn’t been driving since I came here and I was a little intimidated at first but after the first couple of kilometers I was humming to the tunes of Radio Kos from across the sea (you can see the Greek Island Kos very clearly from our balcony.)  Even though I could make out most of the songs, listening to a radio announcer talking in a foreign language gave the whole experience an exotic edge.  

I finally arrived in Gumusluk and drove to the left of the parking lot in the middle of town and found a shady parking spot behind one of the restaurants.  I was so excited that I had to restrain myself from jumping out of my car and running.  What greeted me when I made it to the main street was better than I could’ve imagined.   I found myself in an old fashioned teagarden – these are similar to a bar or café in the town square of an old European town.  I walked around for a little bit and noticed that there were a lot of little cafes that offered breakfast.  The original teagarden I saw was the most appealing so I went back there and found myself a table right by the water and ordered my first glass of tea.  Turkish tea is brewed in a special kettle that sits atop a kettle of boiling water and it is drunk out of small, dainty glasses.  The whole ritual of having Turkish tea is one of my favorites, I love the afternoon tea as well as the tea we have with our breakfast.  There were a lot of wonderful smells permeating the air but all of them are made with flour so that was a pleasure I couldn’t enjoy this morning. 

There was a slight breeze that was running through the air and I could sit and listen to the lapping waves while I watched the colorful boats docked in the little cove.  I sat there for about two hours and enjoyed the morning.  Around 9.30 little by little people started to fill the tables around me and I realized it was time for me to go, the magical hour was over.  Just as I was leaving I noticed a woman preparing her fruit juice stand and recognized her from last year.  We chatted for a bit about how business was and the restaurants in the area and then I had to leave.  The ride back was just as enjoyable as the ride going in.  I had done one of the things I had always wanted to do, enjoyed it immensely and decided that I absolutely had to come back here with my husband the next time.  There indeed is something special about having breakfast at Gumusluk; I hope to repeat the experience as often as possible this next week.

Bodrum... Bodrum...

Bodrum is one of the most precious holiday spots in Turkey.  It is a peninsula that is situated in the heart of the Aegean region and a province of the city of Mugla.  It is very easily accessible by bus or plane (around one hour from Istanbul or Ankara).  There are over 20 flights coming into Bodrum daily; the airport is only a half hour ride from city center.   It is a very easy and scenic drive by the water with beautiful panoramas enfolding before you to whet your appetite for more delights to come.

You know you are in the right place when you start to see the white stucco cubic houses situated all along the surrounding hills.  I remember my very first sight of Bodrum over 25 years ago, after an eight hour drive, we stopped on top of the hill right before entering the main town center; when I first spotted the white houses, typical of the region, lying across the hills near the blue waters of the Aegean and the port with Bodrum castle sitting amidst sailing boats in the middle of all this beauty, I thought it was a picture perfect scene.

The white houses with fuchsia bougainvilleas wrapped around the side are the emblems of this lovely Aegean town.  With each passing year these houses seem to come closer and closer to the airport and spread out all over the whole area.  Although the area is without a doubt, still one of the most enchanting, that first quaint sight of so many years ago is long gone.

One of the main claims to fame Bodrum has is its unparalleled nightlife.  When we were here the summer after graduating from college, every night my friend Terry and I used to go to Halikarnass, one of the most amazing nightclubs in the world, outdoors and right on the water.  Today, it is one of many around here and not as widely frequented by the Turkish party scene as other clubs in the outer bays like Turkbuku or Gundogan.  All the different bays have a special quality about them, that makes each one worthy of a separate trip.  With Bodrum being the main summer resort for anyone and everyone, there are so many restaurants, shops, cafes, bars and nightclubs to choose from that it is impossible to check each one out in a couple of weeks.

But the best part about Bodrum has to be the weather and the sea.  Even when it is 40 degrees Celsius outside, there is always a slight breeze and no humidity, making it the most ideal place to visit in the summer months.

We went into the city center today and I walked around the back streets while waiting for my husband, Mehmet to finish his business.  Wherever I go, I love to just wander around aimlessly, running into little back alleys with beautiful homes or old, rundown churches and mosques waiting to be discovered.   Today, I just entered one of the streets directly across from the Bodrum Marina, and I was in a totally different world.

The back streets I walked through, looked like any village street in this area of the country but I really loved the juxtaposition of the pastoral that is so close to the hubbub of the wild party scene.

After wandering around the back streets I decided to return to the marina and walk along the water. As I was strolling and stopping to take pictures to send to my friend Terry, I came by fishermen returned from the sea, selling their catch of the morning.  My mother-in-law has been asking for fish lately and we haven't been able to find any since there was a ban on fishing. I find out from the fishermen that the season has begun.  

This is the fresh catch of the day I had to choose from.  As I was having my selection cleaned, the two fishermen gave me a quick lesson on the varieties that were available out here and the specialty of the region.  I also got some tips on how to best prepare the fish.  We usually either grill our larger fish like Bluefish or Mackerel or fry the smaller variety like Red Mullet.  There are one or two exceptions where we stew Sea Bass with tomatoes, onions and peppers or bake it in a salt crust.  The fish that comes out of the seas surrounding Turkey are so tasty that we don't need to use any kind of a sauce with it.  I looked through all the fish laid out on the trays checking their gills to make sure that they were fresh and bought two different varieties for frying.  The only problem was in getting them home as soon as possible.  We put the air conditioning on full blast and rushed home to prepare them quickly.  Besides the fish, flour and oil, all we needed was a lot of newspapers.  I learned from my husband's aunt, Tuku to let the fish drain its extra moisture on a newspaper after washing and before cooking them.   

Lunch today was prepared with minimal fuss; I made a simple salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions with oil and lemon (juice of one whole lemon) while Bostan fried the floured fish in hot oil.  All of the 3 pounds of fish I brought home were consumed probably about four hours after they had been caught.  This is one of the major attractions of life in this part of the world, from the source to your table within a matter of hours.  I can't wait to see what surprises tomorrow has in store for me in this piece of heaven on earth.

Weekly Bazaar

All over Turkey, there is a bazaar setup in a different part of town or the city everyday of the week for the residents of the neighborhood to do their weekly shopping.  Tuesday is the day for our local bazaar in Ortakent.

We went to the bazaar today with Bostan, my mother-in-law's helper from Turkmenistan, who has become our cook/housekeeper for the duration of their stay with us, a character similar to Charlie's housekeeper in the popular sitcom, 'Two and a Half Men.'  We entered  the bazaar with a carefully organized plan of attack.  We had only twenty minutes and so much variety to choose from and a very long list..  My husband went to get our breakfast supplies from the dairy suppliers while Bostan and I went to the fruit and vegetable stands.

I love to go to the bazaar; it is not only the best place to get the freshest and highest quality fruits and vegetables but also very inspiring and stimulating.  These bazaars are a feast for the senses, the bright colors of the produce, the wonderful smells of the spices floating in the air along with the entertaining cries of the vendors turns any shopping expedition into a grand adventure.  The vendors pile their vegetables or fruits in a very artistic fashion and the greens and reds of the peppers, the deep purples of the eggplants lying next to the light green of the zucchinis is worthy of any artist's palette.  I love to pick up and smell, especially tomatoes, before I buy them; they are usually still warm from the sun and smell so sweet.

The sellers are specialized according to their specific produce.  The vegetable vendors usually have peppers, eggplants, green and pink beans, zucchini, tomatoes and cucumbers, and whatever vegetable that might be in season.  Then there are the vendors that sell fresh herbs like mint, dill and parsley along with salad greens, scallions and carrots, almost like a salad buffet.  The onions and potatoes stacked up high reminiscent of  Monet's 'Haystacks' might also have braided bunches of garlic to accompany them on the tables.  Melons and watermelons also get their special vendor who are usually at the entrances of the bazaar, maybe for the convenience of not having to lug them around the whole place.  Fruit vendors are very generous with their offerings of a taste of their juicy, delicious peaches, plums, cherries or grapes to any passerby with hopes of seducing them to make a sale; I am the biggest sucker when it comes to this.  I usually can never refuse any food offered and then I feel obliged to buy from that vendor; this is usually no hardship since the offerings are all so wonderful.

Bodrum's bazaars are also famous for their 100% cotton, natural textiles but we didn't have time to check them out this time since we were in a hurry.  I will probably indulge in another bout of serious shopping for towels and tablecloths this Saturday at the Turgutreis bazaar.

Boat Trip out of Bitez

As a continuation of Murat's birthday celebrations and Hasan's going away events, we rented a boat out of Bitez marina today.  There are a lot of boats that go on daily tours out of Bodrum, Yahsi or Bitez - all you have to do is show up a little before 10.00 am and you can have your pick.  Unfortunately, most public tours can get a little crowded and have a preset schedule.  We had friends of ours that went on one of these, two weeks ago and said there was nowhere to hide from the scorching sun and they were out for six hours... It could be fun with a lot of sunscreen and a good hat.  No tanning salon can give the effect a boat trip can.  Since we had a big group, we hired a private boat and took off.  Although, they could've cooked for us on the boat, we brought our own food and they provided cold drinks and lots and lots of ice.    We were out for four hours and went to various coves to jump into the Aegean with wild abandon.   It was a very special occasion because my mother-in-law who swears not to set a foot on any kind of a vessel near the water came on-board and enjoyed the whole day with us.

A Birthday Celebration and Gluten-Free Pizza in Yalikavak

Today was my son, Murat's 17th birthday.  Because of this special occasion and Hasan's departure in two days, my sister-in-law, Duygu and nephew, Nezih flew in to see us.  Going along with Duygu's suggestion, we went out to watch the sunset over the Yalikavak Marina; it was a beautiful sight to behold.  The Marina at Yalikavak is a wonderful place with little cafes and bars hidden within nooks.  As we were leaving, we stumbled onto a secret garden; it was a small restaurant/bar and an art gallery.  They had Bodrum paintings on display that were quite nice.  After talking to the manager about the works on display, she invited us to stay for a drink but we had to leave and promised to return another evening.

After the sunset, we left the marina in separate cars - there was nine of us... As we started to make our way back home, my husband called us and said he found the perfect Italian restaurant right across the street, so we turned right around.   It smelled wonderful and I sat down with a heavy heart to another night of having just a salad while everyone else enjoyed delicious Italian pizzas.  As it turned out, there was a big surprise in store for me, when we inquired, jokingly, if they had any gluten-free pizza, the chef ran back in and came back with a box of gluten-free flour and asked if I could wait a little longer.  I was so ecstatic about this development that I told him I could wait till midnight.  It turned out to be a fabulous pizza with real Italian bacon on top, and I was all smiles as I ate the same thing with everyone else at the table.

Everyone around here has a story to tell and I am dying to hear most of them. After the meal, we chatted for a bit with the owners and discovered that the chef used to live in Holland and the proprietor had just moved back from Canada.  There was a sense of camaraderie as we exchanged stories about living abroad and life in Bodrum.  For that moment in time. life was perfect.... with family, friends, good food, wine and lots of laughter.  My 83 year old mother-in-law who has spent most of her days at home, on the balcony due to the heat, put the final touch of the evening with her statement -  'When I go back and my friends ask me about Bodrum, all I can say is that there is a wonderful nightlife.'

The information about the above mentioned places are as follows:

Yalikavak is one of the most popular seaside towns in Bodrum with a world class marina.  Over the years, it grew from a little fishing village to a major holiday spot with beaches, hotels, restaurants and a bevy of cultural activities.  We reached it by taking the main road after the Ortakent intersection; After a while it becomes a winding road that has incredible views of the bay and catching the sunset here is a must.  There are a lot of little observation points all along the way to just stop and drink some tea and enjoy the view.

Here is the link for the marina -
 http://www.portbodrum.com/en/marinaplus.asp

The Restaurant was:

O'Sole mio                                                         O'Sole mio Restaurant
Cokertme Caddesi                                              Cokertme Avenue
Ozkan Sokak No: 23                                          Ozkan Road No: 23
Marina Baslangici Karsisi                                     Across the street from the Beginning of the Marina
Phone:  0533 697 91 12

'Corbada Benimde Tuzum Olsun' (Let there be some salt from me in the soup as well)

Bodrum, Turkey
In order to attain your dreams, life coaches tell you to visualize them in detail first.  I was never successful in doing this, until I saw a tiny scene in the movie, ‘Munich’, the exact picture of the life I would like in my future. A huge Parisian family was gathered together on their grandparents' farm in Provence and they were about to sit to eat the meal they had prepared.  Everything in this scene, from the quaint farm house to the huge kitchen to the kids running around amongst the flower gardens and of course the table surrounded by the sons and daughters and their spouses, their children looked exactly like something that I might have created in my mind.  Interestingly enough, when my son, Hasan, and I were discussing where we would be in the future, he mentioned this exact scene from the movie and said that this is how he visualized my future as well.  I guess it fit somehow. 

There is something reverent about a family gathered together around a dinner table that surpasses any cultural or generational boundaries.  Sharing a meal is something that brings us together and gives us more insight about each other even when there are other barriers present.  So, nothing gives me more pleasure than to prepare a meal to share with my family.  My husband and I, being aficionados of this concept have brought meal preparation to a new level.  We, usually, as a family (if we can cajole the boys into it), start by going to gather the best and freshest ingredients; around here this means to go to the weekly bazaar to buy our vegetables.  The appeal of the vegetables will usually be the deciding factor in what we will be cooking that week. 

 I bought lovely green peppers, fresh mint and sweet cucumbers in the bazaar this week which was the start for our preparations for our meal last night.  Since I always keep ground meat in the freezer and all the other ingredients are the basic staples of our kitchen pantry, ‘Dolma’ is the easiest of meals to prepare as soon as you buy the vegetables.  When I am in Turkey, I usually get my ground meat a mix of 20% lamb to 80% beef (it’s sometimes harder to find ground lamb in supermarkets in the US so we settle for using a fattier beef instead); in the past, no self-respecting Ottoman cook would use anything but all lamb, ground only once, for this dish.  Just like in a good hamburger, the meat in a ‘Dolma’ should not be ground or handled too much during mixing, lest it loses its flavor.    And of course, we cannot forget the magic ingredient, ‘Nar Eksisi’ (Pomegranante Sour.) I found a great one here in the market, Kemal Kukrer brand that is a little bit more expensive than the others but it is made from pure pomegranate concentrate and no additives – definitely worth it. 

After I tasted the ‘Nar Eksisi’, I got so excited that I decided to make a salad I had learnt from my friend who visited Adana.  She told me that this salad, that is the simplest and the most savory dish that appeals to my taste buds like not much else can, was eaten in all the restaurants in Adana.  My husband is skeptical about this claim since there are no onions in it; Adana kitchen like most Southeastern Anatolian kitchens is very fond of onions- so he may be right, but I prefer it this way.  It’s both easy to prepare and very tasty.  It is basically chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh mint leaves, finely chopped walnuts and salt, oil and pomegranate sour to taste, mixed together.  It has a sweet and sour taste that is like nothing else. 

Yogurt goes really well with most Turkish home cooked meals.  We traditionally prefer to eat our yogurt salty; it is something found either on its own or in a variety of ways on the Turkish table.  ‘Cacik’ is a cold yogurt soup that is made by combining cucumbers cut into tiny pieces and beaten yogurt that is mixed with salt, dried mint and garlic, and drizzled with olive oil.  This is a perfect summer side dish.  Of course it goes perfectly with ‘Dolma’ and took its place on our dinner table as well. 

We have a wonderful term in Turkish that would be very appropriate for all of us in this meal preparation, 'Benimde corbada tuzum olsun' (Let there be some salt from me in the soup as well) meaning let me be a part of the joint effort.  After Hasan, Murat and I went to the bazaar to buy the vegetables, my mother-in-law's helper, Bostan, my husband and I prepared this unpretentious meal for the family last night.  The boys were ravenous after coming home from working out and we all enjoyed an amazing meal, quite similar to most families' all across the country, prepared and consumed in our own style with passion and joy. 

Adventures in Books, Yoga, Travel

Bodrum, Turkey

I just finished another book that I absolutely loved and didn't want to part with.  I had seen it in bookstores for months but for some reason had resisted buying it; probably because I had so many other books that were waiting for my attention.  I finally gave in when I saw it on a shelf the night before I was suppose to leave for Turkey.

I was planning to spend at least six hours waiting at Newark airport for my flight to Istanbul.  Since some unexpected occurrences had completely botched up our summer travel dates, my son had to fly to Miami to catch his transatlantic flight.  The lovely suburbs of New Jersey are not known for their convenient mass transportation so we both had to leave for the airport in the same limo at 10.30 in the morning, hence my six hour vigil at Newark Liberty International Airport, for an evening flight.  But I decided this would be a perfect opportunity for me to relax and entertain myself with some light shopping and lots of reading.  I am never intimated by a long line or annoyed about an extended waiting period as long as I have a decent book with me.  Also, the days prior to any of my trips are so frantic and exhausting with packing and organizing that I almost look forward to these types of mishaps to calm down and get some much needed rest.  This trip to Turkey required even more organization and planning since I was going to be away for almost six weeks.

My son and I went shopping for some last minute gifts and snacks the night before our trip and that's where I saw 'Eat Pray Love' on the shelf beckoning for me to pick it up.  After I read the back of the book, I knew I just had to read it before seeing the movie at the end of the summer.  I am so looking forward to this movie and am aware that I am definitely destined to  love it.  So, I wanted to give Elizabeth Gilbert a chance to take me into her world before I was distracted by watching Julia Roberts traveling to exotic places and falling in  love with Javier Bardem; it turned out to be a very very good idea.

When I read a good book, I find myself getting lost within its pages and hate to finish it.  I sometimes will prolong the affair by leaving a chapter or two to linger over or reread parts I couldn't get enough of.  Sometimes it's just the fascination of the story but with a book like this, about a woman's travels in search of  balance and tranquility, it became much more personal and there were times when I wasn't sure if I was reading about my own desires and longings or hers.  I have often heard said that good art is suppose to be about self discovery; in 'Eat Pray Love' I found pieces of myself as well as hidden aspirations I didn't even know existed.

As I read about Gilbert learning Italian  in Italy, I revisited my own similar dreams from the time I was about thirteen.  Although, I wasn't particular about the country, it could've been France or Spain or Italy, I would go willingly to any one of them.  It looked like I might be getting my chance when I signed up for a summer program in Paris, when I was in college.  Unfortunately, terrorism interfered and the trip was cancelled.  I am still hatching up plans to realize this and Gilbert made it seem pretty easy, just rent an apartment, sign up for a class, arm yourself with a couple of names of friends of friends, smile, be open and friendly. It seems  the only thing standing in my way is the financing.  Her journey into the culinary delights of Italian cooking had me drooling and remembering all the unforgettable meals I enjoyed while I was in that incredible country.  When we took our Mediterranean cruise and stopped and ate our way through lovely Italian shores, my husband and I planned to return with our sons as soon as possible - that was four years ago.  I still have hopes of realizing this dream in the near future.

Gilbert's experiences in India were fascinating and refreshing.  I have not been a very spiritual person and never had the slightest urge to visit an ashram, still, Gilbert's encounters where she was agonizing over meditating and finding that inner peace, connection to divinity, reminded me of my puny efforts at Yoga this past winter in order to find my calm.   I was amused when I read about her trying on different personas in order to be a better, more spiritual person. I have always been envious of those lucky individuals who are true believers that seem to radiate an aura of  serenity.  Even if I can never be a true Yogi, Gilbert made me recognize that I already posses the love and respect for all living things and I need to work on my meditation in order to succeed in calming my spirit.

When she was in Bali, just going through life, day to day, meeting people, connecting with them and absorbing the atmosphere of the landscape, something clicked within me about wanting to have a similar experience myself within the boundaries of my own life.  Bali might be the universally accepted epitome of paradise on earth but I know there are places in Turkey that could be substituted in the absence of an opportunity to visit there.  Besides, the whole concept of paradise seems to reside more in our state of minds than a particular geography.

Unfortunately in most tales of women taking control of their lives and having defining experiences, a male protagonist seems to play a major negative role.  Just because the male protagonist in my life has been there for the past twenty-one years and I have no intention of changing his position does not mean I can not have just as great an adventure as any of these women.  So I boarded the plane from Istanbul to Bodrum with new resolve two weeks ago.  I would make this family vacation about all that I have been yearning for.

I had already started to transform my life before I came here for the summer.  My metamorphosis began about two months ago, after reading Rita Golden Gelman's book, 'Tales of a Female Nomad.'  I was mesmerized by her courage in saying 'there has to be more than one way to live life' and going after her dreams.  Not only did I start my blog but I announced it to the whole world, well....my family and friends anyway.  My habit is out of the closet and I am not writing and emailing my friends secretly anymore.  I do not have any prospects for my writing but I am doing it all the same just because it makes me happy.

One of the other things that makes me deliriously happy is to connect with the local community and share experiences and stories with them.  I am not so reticent about approaching people anymore, I find myself smiling and talking to anyone I see on the beach, the restaurant or the bazaar.  Amazingly, they respond in kind and are very friendly and seem to be perfectly happy to talk to me as well.  Today, as I was driving my mother-in-law to her evening stroll, we passed by the beauty salon where we get our nails done and the proprietor and her daughter both waved at us very exuberantly.   I was so elated by this show of emotion; we may not have made lifelong friends just yet but we have certainly made headway in making connections.

I am hoping that with the inspiration I have absorbed from these two books and my own determination, this summer will be one to remember and write about.   I am living my dream, after-all; we have a house in one of the lovely beach communities by the Aegean where all we have to do is consume mass quantities of the local flavors prepared using the freshest ingredients, create memories to last a life time with our dearest loved ones and spread the love.  This may be the beginning chapter of a brand new phase of our lives.

Prometheus Maximus Uygur

His name is Prometheus Maximus Uygur and I am in love.  My brother sent me a photograph and I have it on my Blackberry as wallpaper;  I keep on kissing my phone when no one is looking.  The more I look at his picture the more I am filled with love and longing. He is such a serious little fellow.  We have a saying in Turkish, "Adiyla Buyusun" meaning 'let him grow up with his name'.  This little guy is going to have to grow up with a huge name but I think he just might be up to the task.  I think I might call him 'Max.'

The Greatest of Miracles Has Happened

Today is my nephew's birthday.  I am officially a 'Hala' (Aunt) now... My sister-in-law Wendy has given birth to a healthy boy... I am so grateful to her and to my brother, Cenk for this wonder of wonders... 


I have been waiting for this day with bated breath, wondering and contemplating all the wonderful things my little nephew is going to be and longing for the moment when I can hold him in my arms.  Unfortunately, I am thousands of miles away from him and have to wait another month before I can do this but I feel the connection in my heart all the same.  I still don't know what he looks like or what his name is going to be.  I did hear his voice as I talked to the proud father on the phone; it was the sweetest melody.  Nothing really matters  except the fact that he is amongst us. For months now, I have been wondering what he will be like and what kind of unique qualities he will posses, as well as who he will take after.  I can't wait to meet him in person.  This is definitely a case of unconditional love.  No matter what happens from this day forward, he will be my very special person.  


This is the message I want to whisper in his ear...
'Welcome to the world my little love. 
May your days be filled with joy and harmony.  
May wisdom and compassion be your guiding light
And always know that, you are already the Apple of my Eye'

'Zeytinyagli Kerevizli, Portakal Sulu Pirasa' (Leeks with Celery cooked in Orange Juice)

2lbs Leeks sliced into 1" strips
2 Celery Roots (usually potatoes are used in this recipe but with celery this tastes very good) sliced
1 - 2  Carrots sliced
1 whole onion
1 Tablespoon rice
3/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon tomato paste
Juice of 2 Oranges
4 Lumps of sugar,  Salt

In a  saucepan layer the carrots, celery, leeks and the whole, peeled onion. Pour the olive oil and add the salt, sugar, tomato paste and the orange juice plus enough water to make 2 cups of water.  Turn the heat on high and when it boils turn it down.  After about 15 minutes add the rice; continue to cook for another 40 minutes.  Let it cool in its own saucepan.  Serve cool.

The Recipe for my mother-in-law's 'Vanilla Pudding with Peaches and Graham Crackers'

200 gr Graham Crackers
3 boxes of Jell-O Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding
3 3/4 cups of Cold Milk
2lbs of Fresh Peaches Peeled and Sliced (you can substitute canned fruits for this but fresh is infinitely better)
Fruit juice to dip the cookies in to soften them

1.  Mix the cold milk with the pudding mix for two minutes, set aside.
2.  Put a little bit of the pudding at the bottom of your plate.
3.  Take the cookies one by one, dip them in juice in order to soften them and lay them side by side on the plate.
4.  After the whole plate is covered with the cookies (you can break them to fill in the empty spaces) lay down a thick layer of pudding.
5.  Cover the whole surface with the sliced peaches.
6.  Repeat steps 3 thorough 5 once again.
7.  You can sprinkle cinnamon or  shredded coconuts over it.
8.  Cool and serve
 

The First Day of my Holiday

Bodrum, Turkey
I got here yesterday and found the house my husband has rented for us to be delightful. It is a simple house in a typical holiday community.  We are all the way up a steep hill and due to this circumstance, in possession of an amazing panorama.  The best feature of the house is its balcony that completely wraps around one side of the building.  There are couches and chairs strewn around it in order to accommodate our  big family; everyone is afforded a seat with a magnificent view.

As soon as I arrived, I unpacked my pastels, drawing paper and pencils and placed them all in a corner of the balcony, along with my books; this is where I plan to live from this day forward.  Our nephew is visiting and all the occupants of our temporary home seem to have settled in quite contently.  I take my place amongst them right away to have the afternoon ritual of 'five o'clock tea.'  From this point on, it's as if I've been here from the very beginning.

First thing we do upon waking up this morning is to go for a swim.  The water is cold but after a couple of strokes I don't feel anything; I am in heaven.  Everything else after that is a typical morning until we go to the bazaar in Turgutreis.  Each town has a day when a bazaar is setup for the local farmers to bring in their crops and sell them to the townspeople and visiting tourists.   I love these bazaars ('pazar' in Turkish) since it's the best place to get the freshest fruits and vegetables. I go a little crazy with the vegetables and watermelon  (we bought 3 huge ones) and fill our trunk to the rim.  After the shopping is done, it's time for lunch.

Last year when we were visiting the same area, my brother and sister-in-law insisted we go to eat at this restaurant in Turgutreis that only serves lunch.  It turned out to be a true gastronomical delight.  'Ana Ogul' (Mom and Son) is a quaint, small restaurant that serves the best examples of Turkish home cooking.  I can not recall one dish I've tasted there, that wasn't to die for.  My husband has called ahead of time and ordered 'Manti' (Turkish Ravioli eaten with garlic yogurt) to be made especially for us.  They don't usually have it on the menu everyday and make it specially for you if you order it in advance.  Since I am on a gluten-free diet, unfortunately I can't have any of the Manti and have to find something else to eat... it will be such a trial...

This is the inside of the kitchen and the lovely lady smiling is the proprietor of the establishment.  I chose an artichoke  prepared with olive oil and cooked with fresh fava beans.  I caught myself several times, sighing contently with my eyes closed.  When I asked the owner how she does it, the answer was a pleasant surprise; it turns out she has taught everything she knows to her son, Ali, and now he is the master behind those wonderful dishes.  This place is worth a detour if anyone is in the Aegean region of Anatolia.

We were a merry group with my mother-in-law and the kids  bantering back and forth in different languages that she frequently likes to teach them words in.  We had to hurry back home, since my niece was also in Bodrum with her husband and they were planning to come over to visit.
We came home just in time.  Entertaining is quite easy in such a relaxed atmosphere; all I had to do was cool and serve the scrumptious fruits from the bazaar.

After all the kids went down to the beach I decided to make one of my mother-in-law's famous deserts- peach and pudding with cookies, for afternoon tea. This the world's easiest and most delicious recipe.  I had brought sugar-free puddings from the States with me and had some great peaches from the bazaar, all I needed was some cold milk and 'petit beure biscuits' which are sort of similar to graham crackers.  I started out preparing two boxes of jell-o pudding but ran out right in the middle of constructing this rather large desert, so I just made one more box and continued on my way.  I will include the recipe at the end of this post.  It turned out quite fabulous and was finished within 15 minutes.  My mother-in-law was on cloud nine, since she had all her grandchildren with her.

This has been one of the most fulfilling days of my life. I have been dreaming of having a place in southern Turkey to share with family and friends, for so many years and this year it seems to have come true.  I am hoping this will be the first of many more days like this where we can cook, eat and share and create memories to last a lifetime...