Meals

Meals taken at certain times of the day.

At the time of the Ottoman Empire was eaten twice a day. Once in the late morning and once in the evening. Nowadays we have a meal three times a day, morning, noon and evening. In many regions, a fourth is added to these three mealtimes, which are taken shortly before bedtime, especially on the long winter evenings. Having a snack in the late afternoon is common, especially when visiting friends or neighbors.

Ingredients that should not be missing on any Turkish breakfast table are olives, cheese, bread, jam and eggs. Usually you drink black tea. Which type of cheese you prefer or whether you still eats “Sucuk”, a spicy, fatty sausage, or slices fresh tomatoes, cucumbers or peppers, varies from region to region. In some rural areas, it is also quite common for breakfast soup to eat. Milk, honey and grape syrup “Pekmez” are also part of a rural breakfast. For lunch there are stews depending on the season, soups and salad. At this time of day, it is very rare for time-consuming dishes, meat dishes or sweets to be served. A full menu consisting of soup, entree, salad and dessert is usually prepared in the evening. Since most of the family members do not return home from the fields or work to be seated at the dining table, dinner is more lavish than any other daily meal.

The last snack, which is especially eaten during the long winter evenings, consists of munchies; Nuts, dried fruits and fresh fruit. While one used to like to drink a glass of “Boza”, a sweet cold drink made from fermented buckwheat or millet, or “Tükenmez”, a fruit juice made from different fruits, today it is mainly limited to black tea. Traditional treats, however, such as dried plums, apples and sweets made from grape syrup are still eaten.

Source: Ministry of Culture Turkey