Saturday, August 16, 2014

The Art of Turkish Coffee

Drinking Turkish coffee is the oldest and most honored tradition in the country. It is a great excuse to socialize with friends and/or perk yourself up in the afternoon. But it is vastly different from the 'Tall, Non-fat Latte with Caramel Drizzle' you find at the many coffee shop chains. As a result of modern technological comforts, anyone can brew a cup of Turkish coffee at home or work. However, I am paying homage to the ritual-like act of brewing it and drinking it the time-honored way.

There is an art to preparing this rich and fragrant drink. Coffee beans (usually a medium roast) are finely ground to a powder like consistency in brass grinders.  These fine ground coffee beans are then placed in copper boiling pots with a hammered exterior, which are narrower at the top and have long handles. A very small teaspoon is used to mix the coffee with water and sugar (if preferred) over hot coals. The coffee pot is brought to a boil gradually and then taken off the heat. This step is repeated a few times to allow the flavor and aroma of the coffee to fully mature. The copper pot itself usually prepares enough coffee for two servings which ensures a fresh palatable taste every time. Many independently owned cafes in Istanbul still use this method of preparing coffee not only because it is preferred, but also because the meticulous preparation represents great history and tradition Turks are so proud of.

Traditionally, the coffee was served in small porcelain cups which didn't have handles but were instead placed within a larger metal cup with a handle, lid and saucer that encased the porcelain. These metal accessories were beautifully engraved with floral motifs. Nowadays, some cafes continue to serve coffee in a similar fashion. However, for the most part, it is commonly served in small porcelain cups and saucers with varying styles and colors of the infamous Iznik patterns. Accompanying the full bodied and ever so slightly aggressive cup of coffee, is a glass of water and a delightful piece of 'Lokum' (Turkish Delight ~ a fragrant piece of jelly served plain or filled with dried nuts or fruits).

The art of Turkish coffee doesn't end there. After a leisurely drink, in true Turkish fashion, someone will offer to read your cup. At any cafe, at any given time, if people are drinking Turkish coffee, you will undoubtably see someone at the table reading the coffee cups. The layer of coffee grounds left at the bottom of your cup provide for an interesting cup reading. The drinker flips the saucer and places it over the cup, while holding the cup and saucer firmly with both hands, moves it 3 times in a circular motion, then the drinker flips the cup and saucer towards themselves so that the cup is upside down on the saucer. The cup is then left to cool. Once ready, the cup is lifted to reveal patterns created by the coffee grounds and the reading begins. Images of different objects and animals are interpreted, secrets of the past are revealed and predictions of the future are made.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

maps, silver and tea

On the spur of the moment, two single girlfriends decided to explore Izmir over a weekend. I have grown to love spontaneaity and I was super excited for this trip. Living in Istanbul is fun, exciting and you can discover new places every weekend. But it is equally easy to get stuck in a rut and become a slave to the daily grind. As of late, I was itching for something new, for something exciting, for anything to get me out of the city. Izmir was the perfect place. We had been talking about visiting the historical sites of Ephesus and enjoying the easy life of Izmir for a very long time. Within 5 minutes of me walking into one of the many travel agents that line the main street of Kadikoy, we had bus tickets and a hotel booked for the weekend.

After 9 grueling hours on the bus, we had arrived in Izmir at 2 am. Now, coming from Istanbul, we were apprehensive to be walking around the city at that hour. The streets downtown were abandoned. If it were Istanbul, we would be holding on to our bags real tight and speed walking home. But in Izmir, it felt different. It felt safe. The air smelt so clean, the streets were not lined with trash and the men we came across at 2 in the morning, didn't even notice us walk by. One elderly gentleman helped us out with directions and we were both taken aback by how polite he was and his lack of aggressive mannerisms.  Living in Istanbul makes you skeptical about a lot of things and a lot of people. Everyone always talks about how nice people are and how progressive the city is compared to the 'Bul and you don't realize it until you get there.

Having read great reviews of the 'Kemeralti pazar', we were expecting to see something similar to the multitude of 'pazars' (markets) found in Istanbul. It is massive and very easy to get lost in the alleys that break off into even smaller passages. You can shop for anything and everything there and an added bonus is that the prices are lower than Istanbul. However, we were left wanting more which probably had to do with the vast variety of markets we have been to in Istanbul. Not giving up, we kept on walking through the maze of sparkling fabric stores, antique shops and tea and coffee cafes looking for a hidden treasure. Then we came across Kizlaragasi Hani, a not so hidden treasure, that many travel blogs and sites don't talk about.

Kizlaragasi Hani (an old inn converted into a shopping market) is paradise if you love everything handmade. From handcrafted silver jewelry and leather goods to organic soaps and other little trinkets. The market itself has a very rustic feel. Small shops are like coves in the aging brick structure. The brick archway entrance leads to alleys lit by the fluorescent and yellow lights shining from shop windows. Brightly colored fabrics and tapestry hang from the walls, interspersed with beautifully crafted Turkish lamps twinkling in red, gold and violet. All the little passages lead to a courtyard where people sit on wooden stools around wooden tables sipping tea and freshly brewed coffee. It is the perfect spot to take a break and admire the beautiful architecture around you. The courtyard itself is shaded by a canvas tent with colorful tassels hanging off all four edges. Terra-cotta roof shingles jut out right above the first floor of the building, but the brick structure continues to a second floor offering more cafes and restaurants. While sitting in the courtyard, you notice pairs of rectangular windows lined all along the inside of the building. Each window is framed by a deeper red brick which form domes at the top. All the exposed brick and lack of ornate decorative painting is evocative of the Byzantine Empire. The simplicity of the structure is beautifully contrasted by the colors seen in all the small shops.

After a few well spent hours, we decided to make our way down to the pier. After a few wrong turns,  I gave in and let my friend pull out her trusted map that she had used intermittently throughout our day. Despite my efforts of getting her to relax and see where the path leads us, she won. She pulled the map out of her efficiently packed handbag filled with suncream, wet wipes, antibacterial gel and tissues, flattened out the folds and wrinkles and proceeded to identify our specific location. Her aim was to get us out of the maze I led us into. Bless her! I don't know what I would have done without her. A couple of minutes, a cigarette and a couple of frowns later she knew exactly how we needed to get to the waterfront.



On the way to the pier, we stopped at the 'Saat Kulesi' (a.k.a. Clock Tower) at Konak Square. In the open square, the beautiful Ottoman architecture really stands out. At the base there are four brass water taps with large marble basins, frequently used by the locals to cool off during the day. In the evenings, the tower lights up with an amber glow, beautifully displaying the carvings, etchings and domes of the structure.



The Izmir's city center is fairly small and easy to navigate through (especially if you've got a map) and it wasn't long before we arrived at the pier. The infamous Konak Pier has a fairly large modern structure housing designer shops and restaurants right on the water. Walking along the pier itself is lovely. The waves crash against the rocks and water sprays up on to the sidewalk. There are many cafes and restaurants all along the water in a neighborhood called Alsancak. In the evening, everyone comes out to this area. The best part of the night was Alsancak Barlar Sokagi (Alsancak Bar Street). Bars and clubs, one after another, line the narrow cobbled street. Music blares from every opening, drinks flow from every bar and people are sitting, standing and dancing everywhere. With a great vibe, it is the place to dance the night away.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

untouched beauty

Turkey is a beautiful country with landscapes that range from rugged snow capped mountains protecting the character of small cities from urbanization, lush green highlands with varying species of animals and birds, to gold sandy beaches with sparkling water attracting tourists from all over the world. Orchards of figs, apricots, and cherries are what you could come across in your travels; along with olive groves nestled in the valleys of mountain ranges. Every city I have visited has been beautiful and charming in its own way. It is almost impossible to compare one to the other because they are so different. When people say Turkey is diverse, they mean the diversity of the Turkic peoples, with so much history, culture and food to experience first hand, there will never be enough time to spend in each region.

Yalova is a dream for thrill seekers. It offers hiking and trekking, mountain biking, skiing in the winter, hot springs which is what it is renowned for, and coves and roaring waterfalls for everyone to enjoy. The Samanli Mountains are just 2 hours outside of Istanbul with miles of coniferous forestry waiting to be explored. Of course not everyone is interested in the outdoors but I do recommend a visit to admire the diverse beauty of the landscape this country has to offer.



A relatively short ferry ride will transport you to the outskirts of Yalova province at the edge of the rolling mountains of Samanli. Coffee colored dusty trails, bordered by low growing plants sparsely sprouting pink and purple flowers, wind up the foothills and into the mountains. The trails can be tricky with old thick roots jutting out of unexpected places, covered by mustard and rust colored fallen leaves, distracting the eye from what is really there. Slivers of sunlight shines brightly through the cracks in the dense wall of leaves and branches, exposing the moss covered tree trunks standing tall and proud. As you go deeper into the forest and higher up the mountains, pushing low hanging branches out of your way, you are simply in awe of the untouched beauty around you.

Around a rolling hill, behind a fortress of pine trees, I came across a waterfall in the gorge between two hill tops leading down to a narrow stream, flowing into town. Water spilled over the steep rocky walls of one of the hills and cascaded over dark grey boulders haphazardly thrown around this ravine. The rocks glistened as sunlight danced around the cracks and slid off the smooth tops, beautifully exhibiting the erosion over the years. Crisp white froth poured down over the rocky hill into the pool of water at the bottom, where I stood, enjoying the cool splatter of water against my skin.

For the foodies (myself included), a variety of fish marinated in a medley of mouthwatering spices, grilled, sauteed or fried can be found in the many small towns. Grilled chicken or meat served on a bed of rice with organic vegetables and freshly baked bread is a staple in almost all regions of Turkey. For a quick meal, I suggest 'lahmacun' or Turkish pizza. Freshly kneaded dough is rolled out into thin oval shaped bases which are then topped with spiced minced meat and finely chopped tomatoes. Once baked in a brick kiln, it is served with wedges of lemon to squeeze on top, sprigs of parsley and thin slices of onions. This thin crispy delight is so affordable and delicious, it becomes challenging to stop at one. The piece de resistance for me is a plate of 'bal kaymak' for breakfast. This is a plate of rich clotted cream made from organic milk served with fragrant honey poured over it with a side of toasted bread. In the land of milk and honey, nothing comes quite as close to perfection as 'bal kaymak' does.  

Friday, August 1, 2014

a million pieces

Standing in a patch of clearing, catching my breath, I feel like a weight has been lifted. For the past month I have been numb. I have felt like I was just showing up for my life, not actively participating in it. I showed up to work, taught, graded and went home. People were talking to me and I was nodding my head in agreement, forcing smiles when I had to and even managed to muster up the strength for a laugh. My mind was always a 1001 miles away. I did everything I was supposed to. Kept myself busy, surrounded myself with friends and worked hard on my 'single girl's to-do list'. But for some reason I couldn't break away from that feeling of numbness. It always felt like I was having an outer body experience. It was as if my soul would break free from my body, float above me and look down on this lifeless figure of flesh, bones and curly hair, staring blankly at people around her, trying to mask how her heart was aching as best she could.

 But all that felt different now. I could feel my knees stinging with pain, from where the skin had split because of the impact, when I hit the ground. I could feel it damp and figured blood must be trickling out of the wound. I felt this urge to scream. To scream with rage. To let all the things I wanted to say but didn't, because I'm the sweet, polite girl who doesn't go around breaking people's hearts. The solitude of not knowing where I was gave me comfort and I let a scream coarse through my body as if I were exploding into a million pieces.

The thick blanket of lush green leaves swayed to the command of the wind. The cool breeze smelled sweet and caressed me softly. My skin, that initially felt like it was on fire, quickly calmed. It was as if the universe was saying "enough". I took a deep breath and with the exhale imagined I was letting out every last bit of disappointment and sadness I could picture.

 "Enough" I said out loud.

I was surrounded by trees with low-hanging branches of leaves that smelled so sweet and fresh. The night sky was a cool shade of navy with bright sparkling stars scattered everywhere. It was serene. The trees majestically towered over me. They offered me the security to let go and find myself. My mind was clear. I was no longer worried about where I was. I no longer felt abandoned. I didn't feel sad or lost. I felt nothing. But for the first time I didn't feel numb. I was eager to get back home and start my life again. My heart wasn't ready for this world, maybe it never will be. But we are fearless creatures and we stay hopeful because 'this world is too fragile for people to be untrue'.