Following Turkish Coffee in Eminönü in Istanbul: Photo Post

During my many jaunts in Eminönü, the intense smell of freshly ground coffee beans seems to follow me everywhere.

If you follow this irresistible scent, you will find at least a dozen people waiting in line at the small windowed-storefront of Kurukaveci Mehmet Efendi. This coffee shop has been roasting raw coffee beans, grinding them and selling freshly roasted and ready-ground Turkish coffee since 1871. That year, at the age of 14, the shop’s founder, Mehmet Efendi, took over the family business, and today it is run by his grandchildren, according to the company’s website.

I’ve seen a line here as early as 9 a.m. and as late as 6 p.m. Turks love their coffee, and you’ll see plenty of tourists buying it too. By the way, the line seems to move quickly.

If you know Turkish coffee, then you know the global brand of Kurukaveci Mehmet Efendi. However, you might not know that the shop’s coffee beans are roasted in an unassuming building a few doors away.

In the southwest corner behind the Mısır Çarşısı (Spice Bazaar), you will see a white Ottoman-scripted plaque dated 1912 like the one pictured below.

Step inside this han and bypass the small store that sells cheap, 200-meter rolls of baking paper (my favorite), plastic drinking straws and colorful paper napkins. On your left, you will find rows and rows of burlap bags filled with coffee beans from Brazil. Behind a nearby closed door, you’ll hear the roaring sound of those coffee beans being roasted.

To your right, you’ll see a small window where you can order your own cup of freshly made Turkish coffee or a glass of çay. Don’t be intimidated. Just grab a seat like I’ve done. It’s a unique place to take visitors.

The guys are friendly and willing to chat a bit if you want to practice your Turkish.

Then, sit back with your Turkish coffee and try to imagine all the footsteps that have passed through this Ottoman-era building. It may be a bit dingy now, but I'd say it just has character.

I'll drink Turkish coffee now and then, but I'd rather have a latte.

To learn more about Turkish coffee, check out this post from my blogger friend, Claudia, who recently wrote: Iconic Turkish Coffee - Turk Kahvesi.

Traditional copper cezve - or the cooking vessel of Turkish coffee.

Fancy, silver Turkish serving cups with lids so the coffee stays hot!

This is how you deliver a cup of Turkish coffee inside the han.

These Turkish guys were such great sports and posed for my photos.

More customers in line at Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi.

Location:

Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi

Tahmis Sok. No: 66

Eminönü

Tel: +90-212-511-4262

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Summer Curried Beans/Barbunya Körili

Summer is at its peak in Turkey right now!

Every pazar is overflowing with stall after stall of beautiful fresh produce. I’m tempted to buy everything even though there’s just the two of us at home.

Well, we do end up buying more than we need every Saturday when we visit our local pazar in Beşiktaş. On Mondays, I usually look through everything we bought and start prepping it for use.

Since Istanbul has been fairly hot, I try to spend only one day in the kitchen and make a big dish of something that will last most of the week. That way I only have to reheat the leftovers and make a fresh salad for dinner.

This one-pot recipe is one that evolved from the red and green peppers, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and fresh garlic and cilantro begging to be used up in the kitchen. You could also adapt the recipe to whatever vegetables you have on hand.

All the veggies and spices organized on the table for my Summer Curried Beans recipe.

For spices, I used a blend of curry-like flavors so the beans taste very Indian-like. My husband could smell the beans cooking as soon as he walked in the door. (All spices are available in Istanbul at my favorite spice shop, Ucuzcular Baharat, Mısır Çarşısı, No. 51, in Eminönü)

I also added ground beef to my Turkish barbunya (similar to pinto beans) because my husband must have meat at practically every meal. However, the beef could easily be omitted to create a spicy vegetarian dish.

It will take you about two hours to cut all the veggies and cook the beans, but it will save you time throughout the week. Trust me!

What kind of recipes are you making with the summer produce right now?

Afiyet olsun!

Summer Curried Beans in a bowl served with my Indian fabric I bought on our Singapore trip.

Summer Curried Beans/Barbunya Körili

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

2            T.                        vegetable oil

3            med.                    onions, sliced

3            med.                    tomatoes, large diced

1            head                    fresh garlic, chopped small

4            ea.                       carrots, chopped in small chunks

2            med.                    potatoes, large diced

500             g.                    kontrafile yağsız kıyma (lean ground beef) from Atlas Kasabı.

3            ea.                       red peppers, 1-inch julienned

4            ea.                       green peppers, 1-inch julienned

3            c.                        Turkish barbunya beans (dried pinto beans), soaked overnight in water, strained

1.5            L.                      water

1            ea.                        beef bouillon cube (et suyu)

1            tsp.                        ground ginger

2            tsp.                        pul biber (chili powder)

1            tsp.                        ground cumin

1            tsp.                        ground coriander powder

2            tsp.                        garam masala powder

½            tsp.                       tumeric

Garnish:                              fresh cilantro leaves

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until the onions start to brown and caramelize, about 15 minutes.

Caramelize the onions in a large pot.

Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook and stir for a few minutes.

Then add the carrots and potatoes. Next, add the ground beef, cooking until the beef is browned, about 10 minutes.

Then, add the peppers, beans, water, bouillon cube and spices. Cover the pot with a lid. Cook over medium heat until beans are cooked through, about 1 hour, stirring the beans every now and then.

Serve the curried beans in a bowl. Garnish with fresh cilantro if you are lucky enough to find it here in Turkey!

If you can't find cilantro, fresh parsley would work as well.

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2011: Top 10 Turkish Christmas Gifts

My Christmas shopping did not involve last-minute trips to an overcrowded mall or waiting in line to buy the new must-have toy at some megastore.

No way!

This year, just like last year, all of our gifts for our family and friends are from our travels in Turkey and a few from Singapore. I’m proud to promote Turkey as much as I can, and I’d much rather buy a gift that means something than the typical commercial rubbish.

It probably would come as no surprise that many of our Christmas gifts are related to food. So here’s a rundown of the many handcrafted, beautiful and edible items you can bring back from Istanbul like I did.

Hopefully, our family members, who may be reading this, won’t figure out what they are getting for Christmas this year!

1.       Lokum (Turkish Delights) and Baklava – Fortunately, we live near Güllüoğlu Baklavacı , and I bought a few boxes right before I left Istanbul. Lokum is a sweet, chewy confection made from sugar and starch. This treat comes in a variety of fruit flavors and traditional rose and is usually studded with nuts. This new box I picked up was pomegranate flavored – my seasonal favorite – and dredged in coconut flakes! I highly recommend it!

2.       Candied chestnuts – On many street corners in Istanbul, vendors sell freshly roasted/grilled chestnuts from their small, portable stands. Chestnuts also are shelled, cooked and cooled down in a sugary syrup like the ones in this jar, pictured. These can be found at  Güllüoğlu Baklavacı  and other high-end pastry shops in Istanbul.

3.       Dried spices and teas – If you enjoy cooking or have cooks on your Christmas list, then you must include a visit to the Mısır Çarşısı. This is one of my favorite culinary spots in all of Istanbul. My friends over at Ucuzcular, No. 51, always have what I need, and they seal the plastic bags for traveling; or you can order online and have them shipped home.

4.       Tavla (backgammon) – If you know anyone who likes to play this fun game, this is a great gift to barter for at the Grand Bazaar. I brought a dark-stained walnut wood one back for a friend in NY that also featured checkers on one side. Jason and I often enjoy playing tavla while enjoying a glass of Efes in Istanbul.

5.       Turkish towels – Turkish towels can be found at many shops, but for the best quality and service you must stop at Jennifer’s Hamam at the Arasta Bazaar behind the Ayasofya or Stephanie’s Home Spa near the Galata Tower. Both stores are owned by a Canadian and an American woman, respectively. Jennifer’s shop also features a nice selection of bath robes, duvet covers and more while Stephanie features towels and olive oil soap.

6.       Turkish olive oil and olives – From our August trip to Cunda Adası, we picked up several bottles of fresh Turkish extra virgin olive oil and jars of olives. I kept a few bottles for myself, but some lucky family members will be getting some soon.

7.       Olive wood cheese trays and bowls – Speaking of olives, I recently found these adorable cheese trays and small bowls made from olive wood sold at Kurşat, Şakayik Sokak No. 57/1, in Nişantaşı in Istanbul. This family-owned shop also features high-quality olive oil and olives from the Ayvalık region. I liked these trays so much that I bought one of each for our own home.

I love these! They also are reasonably priced at 10 tl for the boards and 7.50 tl for the bowls.

 8.       Pashminas – Last year, I bought several of the pashminas for the women on our Christmas list. These can be found everywhere all over Istanbul.

9.       Jewelry – At the Grand Bazaar, you can find many stalls that sell gold, silver, beaded and evil-eye themed jewelry. I prefer to pop into the Old Bedestan area, especially to see my friend Selim at no. 218/219. His selection is impeccable! Every time I do stop in, I can’t resist buying a pair of earrings for myself!

10.    T-shirts – This is always an easy gift to get for my friends’ children, cousins and even some of the male adults on our list. It’s hard to bring back Turkish gifts for guys so T-shirts seem to be a good option, and they pack well in suitcases.

Other popular gifts on my list are ceramics, specifically from Tarik Bey at the Çukur Han in the Grand Bazaar, and books about Turkey and Istanbul. Since my dad’s health doesn’t allow him to travel anymore, I bought him a book showing him all the beautiful and historic sites in Istanbul. This way he can still "travel."

For more gift ideas, please check out my friends over at Turkeys for Life. They recently wrote a great post about this same topic.

Even if you can’t visit Istanbul before Christmas, you can use this handy gift guide for future trips to my second “home.”

Happy shopping!
Joy

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Discover Turkey at the Christmas Markets in NYC

It's funny how you notice Turkish things everywhere - once out of the country.

Evil eye necklaces and ceramic serving platters, leather-bound notebooks, blue and white ceramics, wooden jewelry boxes and more. I even overheard people speaking Turkish in a grocery store! I wanted to join the conversation.

I spy something from the Grand Bazaar!

I smiled and laughed out loud as I saw these items at the outdoor Christmas market in Union Square in NYC. I chuckled a bit more when I saw the ridiculous prices - 2-3 times the price I've paid at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul!

But I guess if you want a taste of Turkey without paying for the airfare, these holiday markets, set up in several NYC locations, are your best bet! Hours: 10-7 until Dec. 24, I believe.

One of the market stalls even had a full spread of teas and dried spices, pictured, that I often buy at the Misir Çarsisi in Eminönü in Istanbul. But not the same service I get from my friends at Ucuzcular, and I certainly won't get offered bottomless glasses of çay! Sigh!

And this stall was totally Turkish located in Union Square!

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