AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Sweet memories, bitter moment AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Sweet memories, bitter moment

There is something in coffee that bonds people. There can be no other explanation that coffee traveled the world, conquering every single place it landed. Despite its bitterness, the alluring smell and atmosphere it creates captivates people, captures the moment, and sometimes creates the sweetest memories. But now it is a bitter moment for me to write about the passing of the most wonderful lady Ülkü Kahraman Houssein, with whom I had the sweetest memories of coffee. She was the secret hero of Turkish coffee, in quest for spreading it to the world. Like coffee, her allure was captivating, her vivacious smile contagious.

July 31 2022
50 shades of taste AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

50 shades of taste

“The World’s 50 Best” awards, the list of the best restaurants in the world, found their owners. It is not easy to squeeze the best of the best in only 50 places, so there is also a second 51-100 runner-up list in addition to the top 50 on the list. In addition, there are special awards, which seem to increase every year. Many restaurants on the list deserve their place truly, but whether all the good ones can make it to the list, or how accurate the ranking is, is always questioned. Still, it is certain that 50 Best is the most talked about list.

July 24 2022
Crockery chronicles AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Crockery chronicles

Turkish tiles are world famous, not only the tiles cladding the walls of historic buildings but also the magnificent İznik plates and bowls that have long been collectors’ items, masterpieces that are found not only in Topkapı Palace Museum but also adorn the showcases of world museums, such as the Gulbenkian in Lisbon and V&A in London. But the famed İznik pottery was just another step in the long line of pottery tradition in Anatolia.

July 17 2022
Building bonds in Bodrum AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Building bonds in Bodrum

Bodrum is like the admiral ship of Turkish tourism. Sometimes I tend to think it will end up like Titanic, sinking while the orchestra is still playing. Every single year, the summer starts with talks and gossip about what’s new in Bodrum, and the list is long. Who is seen where, which Istanbul venue is opening in Bodrum and where, which Michelin starred chef is visiting, all about the changing locations, changing chefs, entrance fee to the beach clubs, new trends of the season like happy hour concerts, and last but never the least, the prices, in particular the “lahmacun” prices of top venues. This last one is like the tell-tale of the forthcoming season’s price profile, since the day decades ago the famed legendary boutique hotel Maça Kızı had put a hefty price tag on its lahmacun, the ubiquitous street food, which is a flatbread with a spicy, onion meat topping. Since then, it became almost like a trend of its own for Bodrum, every single deluxe place feels obliged to feature their version in the menu, otherwise a much-loved low-cost fare for the masses.

July 11 2022
Sultan of Sicily AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Sultan of Sicily

Fork & Glass of the Week: MammaDrau deserves multiple visits. There are other hidden talents in the kitchen, executive chef Marco Corallo has been working with Ciccio for 30 years being responsible of kitchens in his various outlets, he is now in Bodrum. Interestingly, years back, Ciccio was an apprentice in Marco’s father’s patisserie. When in MammaDrau, one must consider paying a visit entirely dedicated to cocktails by mixologist Gürkan Karanfil, and the wonderful little plates reflecting street foods of Sicily, prepared by Ciccio’s brigade of Sicilian chefs bridging Sicily and Bodrum. Signature cocktails are mostly named after venues of Sultano, all are worth exploring, Sultano itself seems to be the right one for Bodrum featuring a local whiff with Duziko and Skinos Mastikha, with a sea breeze freshness with bayil and lime juice, and a punch of black pepper. So Mediterranean!

July 03 2022
Food waste turns into fortune AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Food waste turns into fortune

Food waste is the bleeding wound of today’s world. In a world where millions do not have access to adequate food, or simply starve, the huge amounts of waste disturb the human conscience. In many parts of the world, people seek ways of preventing food waste, not only in home kitchens, but also on a grander scale, such as establishing food banks to distribute food to the needy, making use of the unsold products that are about to expire, or whose packaging is damaged. In this direction, non-governmental organizations lead projects raising awareness and forcing rules to be in effect, succeeding in some countries banning markets from throwing away still edible food.

June 26 2022
Wine-minded people AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Wine-minded people

Wine is lubricative in convivial gatherings. It is beyond being a drink, it connects people. Wine is a lifestyle for wine-producing communities. However, life can be difficult for small producers and developing countries, let alone for a country like Türkiye, with a predominantly Muslim population, where heavy taxes are implied and restrictions on advertising are in effect. Yet the wine sector is flourishing in Türkiye, with boutique wineries entering the market every single year. These new players are keen on reviving indigenous grape varieties, experimenting with local grapes, and initiating exciting projects to bring new wines with heritage grapes to the table.

June 19 2022
Heritage grapes, old vines and cultural landscapes AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Heritage grapes, old vines and cultural landscapes

Turkey might not be considered a leading wine producing country, ranking just 31st in the world, but paradoxically, it is one of the foremost countries when it comes to the area of vineyards, being the fifth largest in the world, and the sixth in grape production. The numbers may seem to be contradictory, but the reason is that less than 3 percent of the grapes are used for winemaking.

June 12 2022
Summer starts with mulberries AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Summer starts with mulberries

Mulberries are in full season. When mulberry is out, it means summer has finally come. Mulberry is loved by many with its almost honey-like sweetness and juicy texture, and its taste is best enjoyed when you eat it directly picked from the tree. Everybody tries to find a mulberry tree to enjoy the fruit in the best way possible, be it in a picnic in the countryside, in a park in the city, or in your own garden, much better if it is from the neighbor’s garden. All of our childhood memories have funny stories of getting caught by the angry lady next door when stealing mulberries from her garden. Well, just as the grass is greener on the other side, mulberries seem to be tastier on the other side of the fence or wall. Now, it’s time to eat to your heart’s content because the mulberry season is short and passes in the blink of an eye.

June 05 2022