AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Plentiful pomegranate AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Plentiful pomegranate

This is how the Cambridge dictionary describes a pomegranate: “A round, thick-skinned fruit containing a mass of red seeds and a lot of juice.” A mass of seeds could well be a thousand seeds as the Turkish saying goes: I bought one in the market; it turned out to be a thousand at home! The fruit is comprised of seeds, which is exactly why the pomegranate has always been the symbol of fertility and plenty in our culture.

December 22 2024
Feeding the giant AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Feeding the giant!

Istanbul is like a huge giant forever hungry. This enormous city of more than 15 million registered residents, in reality, hosts more than 20 million people. Istanbul has always been a center of attraction, acting like a magnet attracting people of all walks and cultures, making the city a melting pot of diverse culinary cultures. It is not easy to feed such a mega city, and history proves that the city has always been a hub of trade, getting the best of all the products available even from agar lands. This has been so since the Roman times, and later in the Byzantine times, when spices such as black pepper and cinnamon made its first west forward move from south Asia. The transition from Byzantine to Ottoman times was not a total disruption, on the contrary, there has been a continuity, especially in culinary practices, we can still taste the culinary legacy of those earlier times.

December 15 2024
How green is your star AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

How green is your star?

The Michelin Guide, the world’s leading restaurant guide, announced its 2025 selection for Istanbul, İzmir, and Muğla provinces in Türkiye. In its third year, the list gave positive vibes that sustainability and environmentally friendly venues will be on the rise in the future with the increase in Green stars. The concept of farm-to-plate has been officially given the green light!

December 08 2024
Coffee conversation AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Coffee conversation

Coffee is a way of communication, it stimulates conversation, no doubt about it. It also makes you think faster, evokes ideas and prompts new prospects.

December 01 2024
The ultimate list AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

The ultimate list

Tonight, in Paris, the glamorous reception halls of the French Foreign Ministry at 37 Quai d'Orsay will sparkle with elegance. The special occasion is the annual award ceremony and gala dinner of La Liste, a leading world restaurant rating system, which describes itself as the ultimate list of lists. This is where the world’s most famous chefs gather, restaurant critics and gastronomy writers mingle, public relations cards are exchanged, and the chatter of the gastronomy world accompanies the clinking of glasses, with champagne flowing freely. It is all about fine gusto and excellence in gastronomy. This glorious night has two major hosts, both from diplomatic circles. One host is Jean-Noël Barrot, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs; the other is Philippe Faure, a senior diplomat, Ambassador of France, and the founder and president of La Liste, the organization hosting the award. They will both be hosting this great gathering of gastronomy world for the announcement of the 2025 list of La Liste which grades the best of the best 1,000 restaurants from around the world. The award ceremony also announces a series of special awards dedicated to certain merits such as hidden gems, new exciting openings, innovation and game-changer categories, local & international selections in various themes, and of course last but not least, the annual award of honor, which last year went to Bernard Pacaud of L’Ambrosie for the recognition of his lifetime achievement. When excitement climaxes in the ceremony, everybody is ready to move to the gala dinner honoring the awarded chefs. Another spectacular classy Parisian night is engraved in memories.

November 24 2024
Hush: The sound of baklava AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Hush: The sound of baklava

Is it the taste or the sound of baklava which counts? When you put the baklava in your mouth, there is this slight rustle that you hear which is an essential part of the satisfaction you get from the beloved sweet of Turkish cuisine. If that hush sound is missing, if the flaky layers of baklava lack the essential crispiness, you can never get the same taste. So, what is the secret to getting that rustling sound created by those super thin flaky layers?

November 17 2024
Setting the table again AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Setting the table again!

Early November has a distinct feel for the Turkish people. It is a time of solemnity and reflection, not just because of the fallen leaves or the typical autumn gloom, but because it evokes a deep sense of longing for the past. This period is often described as a national time of remembrance, when people reflect on the early years of the Republic of Türkiye and honor its founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.  

November 10 2024
Olive O’clock time AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Olive O’clock time

Olive harvest is taking place all over the country. Many olive groves are already harvested, especially in the warmer southern and western regions, while others still wait for the right time to pick the precious fruit, full of flavor and sublime oil. The olive diversity in Türkiye is very rich, so it is a good time to look at our wide range of olive varieties. Firstly, we have to mention the “Delice” variety, which is the wild variety that grows all over the Aegean region and can be grafted to produce other varieties indigenous to Anatolia. “Delice” means “Madly” or “Crazily” in English, which I find the most appropriate term for this millennia-old variety that grows all around the Aegean landscape crazily despite all odds, and has an insanely delightful taste, but must be mad to dwell an olive oil business on the variety as the yield is minimal due to its tiny olives.

November 03 2024
A century-old vision: A nation that feeds itself AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

A century-old vision: A nation that feeds itself!

“The peasant is the master of the nation!” This is a well-known, much-repeated statement of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of Türkiye.

October 28 2024