Included on my list was a
Sunday visit to the Kastamonu Market (Pazar) held in the Kasımpaşa
neighborhood close to the Golden Horn. This pazar is a foodie’s paradise – filled with all kinds of
special produce and homemade goodies from the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
It took us nearly 3 years
to visit this pazar!
On the weekends, we often
found ourselves traveling or not willing to get our butts out of bed to find this
market. You must arrive on the earlier side, say by 9 or 10 a.m., if you want
to get the best goods.
And trust me, when I say
it’s worthwhile to get your butt out of bed and find this special pazar!
The tomatoes seem so fresh
and juicy that I could eat them like an apple. That half kilo of butter was
probably just churned a few days ago.
You’ll find mounds of köy ekmeği and other village breads
stuffed with spinach, other wild greens and cheese. Oh my!
Darling baskets of brown
village eggs, which will be about as free-range as you can ever get!
And during the spring, you’ll
find baskets and tables filled with edible, wild Turkish herbs and greens. I
don’t even know what most of these greens are, but I wish I did! I did purchase
a half of kilo of the alien-looking Turkish hodan
(borage root), and sautéd it with garlic, onion and pul biber. From what I understand, most of these wild greens are
used for filling in yummy börek.
 |
| Does anyone know what this Turkish green is? It almost looks like tiny spring bulbs. |
+roots+at+Kastamonu+Pazar+2013.JPG) |
| I believe this is Turkish hodan or borage root in English. |
Just perusing my photos
again makes me want to be at the Kastamonu Pazarı right now!
After you’ve had a feast
for your eyes, buy some Turkish goodies such as cheese, olives, breads and
dried fruits. Head across
the street from the market to Sururi Park and have an impromptu
picnic on the rocks by the waterfall. That’s exactly what we did!
Afiyet olsun!
How to get here:
The Kastamonu Pazarı is set up along Toprak Tabya Sokak (off of Bahriye Cad.) in Kasımpaşa. The closest bus
stop is at Iplikçi Durağı, and you can try mapping out your journey here on IETT.
Or simply grab a taxi from either Taksim or Karaköy. The market is only open on
Sundays from 6 a.m.-4 p.m.
If you enjoyed my post,
you might like these from 2 of my blogging friends in Istanbul:
Istanbul’s
Very Own Black Sea Market! by
Claudia of A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Inebolu
Pazarı: Shop in Istanbul Like a Local by Olga of Delicious Istanbul
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| Homemade Turkish jams, pekmez and pickles at the Kastamonu Pazarı in Istanbul. |
