An Introduction to Turkish Breakfast
As we have already mentioned above, Turkish breakfast is the central focus of our discussion. Turkish people enjoy a fresh, healthy, and wholesome breakfast platter before leaving their house for jobs or starting the household chores. The breakfast is entirely gluten-free. A pure classic and authentic Turkish breakfast food items include fresh-baked bread (loaf), fresh fruits, varieties of fresh cheese, green tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, home-baked cakes, pastries, fried dough, boiled or poached eggs, preserved meat, spicy sausages, etc. Food items also include jam, honey, sweet butter, dips, sauces, etc.
Soup is a mandatory breakfast item in Turkey. Another special Turkish breakfast dish is called Menemen. It takes tomatoes, green peppers, eggs, onion, and olive oils to prepare the dish. The making and serving manner of Turkish tea are aesthetic. So to say,people drink tea with breakfast in most countries but, Turkish tea is somewhat different compared to that of the other countries in terms of its essence and presentation.
Nutritional Value of Turkish Breakfast
As breakfast is the main meal for the country people, they tend to receive solid nutrition from their breakfast items. Wheat is the staple crop in Turkey. The Turkish gets the most energy from wheat bread. In Turkey, other cereals are also used to prepare bread. People eat fresh fruits and vegetables all through the year. Yogurt is one of the most prepared milk-made items in Turkey. Besides, Eggs, sea fish, and preserved meat items add high protein value to the dishes.
Turkish people have different kinds of salads, both made of vegetables and fruits. The cooking mainly uses olive oil. Altogether, the people living in Turkey do not compromise their health and physical fitness in terms of food. The items are equally healthy and mouth-watering.
Homemade Breakfast
To date, Turkish people prefer traditional homemade breakfast at the beginning of the day. The typical Turkish breakfast consists of soup, vegetables, fruits, and bread. Tea and other beverages add more spirit and soul to the Turkish breakfast.
Turkish people mostly prefer to have a hot steamy variety of soups in winter, followed by some boiled or smoked vegetable and meat dishes. Sometimes, the housewives and the helping staffs prepare pasta or meat salads for the family members on the holidays. For example, a salad is made with cool yogurt with cucumber slices, garlic, and salt.
In summer, families prefer to consume cold or fried vegetable dishes. One of the many original Turkish summer dishes is made of eggplant, pepper, and potatoes aided with sauce or yogurt. Some egg-based food items are popular among the local people, especially in summer. Light water-based fruits and vegetables like cucumbers, watermelons, melons, and tomatoes are used to prepare different light dishes. The summer dessert is Turkey is less sweet and rich than the conventional ones. Plenty of nuts like chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios are used in dessert items, cakes, and pastries. Turkish women use semolina seeds to make a special cake.
Outside Breakfast in Restaurants
Globalization has brought a variety of multi-cultured cuisines to people's threshold. Like any other country, fast food has gained a special place in the Turkish food culture. Different international fast-food chains have opened their restaurants all over Turkey.
Turkish people still prefer their authentic dishes over anything, and they like to live on their extensive food items. Enjoying breakfasts in restaurants is more popular among the city people. Many newly emerging restaurants offer traditional Turkish home food items at reasonable rates to attract tourists as well as local customers. The tourists can enjoy a healthy Turkish breakfast at these food corners in the early mornings.
Mostly-Used Ingredients in Turkish Food
This section tries to throw light upon the frequently used ingredients to prepare or cook Turkish dishes. The identical key food elements in Turkish cuisine include rice, wheat, fish, tomatoes, olive, lentils, beans, eggplants, green peppers, beef, lamb, etc. Nuts are specially used to garnish dessert items. Fat items primarily include butter, margarine, sunflower oil, olive oil, corn oil, canola oil, etc. Kebabs and different non-vegetarian dishes use animal fat sometimes.
Various kinds of fruits and vegetables are available in Turkish markets at lower prices. In classic Ottoman cuisine, fruits, mainly citrus ones to accompany meat items as side dishes. Turkish cuisine uses preserved (in syrup) fruits as the main dishes to meat items. Eggplant has a special place in Turkish cuisine. Meat is a compulsory food item in daily Turkish cuisine. Consumption of poultry items like egg and chicken is the most prevalent among locals. In the old days, the milk-fed lambs used to be the primary source of meat in Turkey, which has now been reduced to a minimal level.
Cheeses and yogurts have an irreplaceable role in Turkish food. Different types of cheeses are available in the local markets like white cheese, Smoked and non-smoked Circassian cheese, cottage cheese, artisanal cheese, goat cheese, unsalted whey cheese, sheep cheese, Parmesan cheese, braided cheese, herbed cheese, etc. Turkish soups are very light to digest. Most of the soups are named after the main ingredients. Some of the most popular soups use lentils, wheat, yogurt, etc.
Some of the Best Turkish Breakfast Dishes:
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Katmer
Katmer is a sweet börek. Most Turkish people begin their day with katmer. The food dish is a specialty of Gaziantep. There are various bakery shops and cafes that offer this food item from early morning to noon. According to custom, the newly-wed couples first have this food item after their marriage
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Bal Kaymak
A wheat-based breakfast dish in turkey is Bal Kaymak. The dish is a delicious combination of clotted cream and honey. Turkish people use this preparation as a sweet dip as an aid to other traditional breakfast items. The dish is also served as a dessert item garnished with walnuts and almonds.
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Menemen
Menemen is a traditional authentic Turkish dish made of tomatoes, peppers, eggs with different spices. Different other vegetables are also added to the items to give them a variety of flavors. The restaurants serve the dish in metal pans with bread
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Boyoz
Boyoz is a Turkish pastry item made with flour, sunflower oil, and tahini. Cheese, meat, vegetables are used as stuffing. This dish is served with boiled eggs and special Turkish tea.
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Pide
Pide is a meat pie stuffed with meat and vegetables. The dish is consumed hot aided with sauce or yogurt. Sometimes, the cooks garnish the dish with cucumbers, pomegranate seeds, and coriander
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Börek
Börek is a baked item with layers stuffed with cheese. The recipe dates back a long time. Different countries have different versions of this same food, but the Turkish one has a unique flavor.
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