Turkish Food Customs and Traditions: A Beginner’s Guide

Food is never taken for granted in Turkish culture and the Turks will rarely waste it. You may find yourself invited to eat in a Turkish household even if you just have met. It’s because in Turkish traditions there’s nothing better than sitting down to enjoy meals with friends and family. So whether it is dining at a Turkish household or at a Turkish restaurant, below is some of the common traditions and customs when it comes to Turkish food.

Afiyet olsun!

This phrase translates into “enjoy your meal”, probably the Turkish equivalent of Bon appetit. It’s an old saying that the Turks still widely say with genuine affection. In traditional Turkish restaurants, the waiters say it when serving your meal. The appropriate response to this is simply to say thank you a.k.a sagol.

Bread lovers

Turks love to eat bread with everything. You can never overestimate their consumption. It’s even common to see Turks leaving a meal to become cold while they go to the shops for bread. If you’re entertaining your Turkish neighbours, keep this in mind. Get yourself a loaf or two so you don’t run out.

Elinize sağlık!

At the end of a meal, if you’re invited to a Turkish household, don’t forget to say this phrase. It literally means health to your hands. But what it actually signifies is that you thoroughly enjoy the meal and thus appreciate the efforts. Also if you want to bring a gift, give a box of baklava instead of alcohol as it’s not generally drunk at home. Baklava is Turkey’s national dessert made of flaky pastry, thick syrup and pistachio nuts.

Be modest when using toothpicks

Almost at every Turkish restaurant and home, you’ll find a small box of toothpicks. These are ideal for after eating meat dishes. Showing everyone the content of what you pick out of your teeth is considered rude in Turkish customs, probably for obvious reasons. So cover your hand that you use to hold the toothpick with the other hand. Then discard it in a napkin after.

Sini

It’s common to see people sitting down to eat at a table and given their own plate. But in a traditional themed restaurant, you’ll find the old-fashioned way of eating. People sit together around a large silver tray called a sini placed on a small stool. All dishes are placed on the sini and instead of people having their own portions on their own plates, everyone eats from the sini.

Melon and cheese

Turks across the nation have adopted the social custom of eating honeydew melon with sharp, white cheese. This may cause foreigners to raise eyebrows but the taste is surprisingly pleasant. The flavours just simply bounce off each other. If you really want to take it further authentic like a real Turk, you can complete the diverse flavours with a glass of Raki, which is the country’s alcoholic drink.

Yoghurt

While it may be surprising for many foreigners, Turks eat yoghurt with their main meal. The two most common dishes consisting yoghurt are manti (basically Turkish ravioli) and Iskender kebab. The Turks’ love for yoghurt goes beyond food and into drinks. Add water and salt to your yoghurt and you’ll have Ayran. It’s the go-to drink in summer and cures stomach aches and hangovers.

Soup

Soup is occasionally enjoyed for breakfast. This tradition goes all the way to the days of the Ottoman Empire. Soup is believed to prevent hangovers. In Turkey soup is always made fresh so you’ll hardly find packet substitutes for it. To enjoy authentic Turkish dining experience, head to Sahan Mezopotamian Street Food. Visit Us at Sahan Mezopotamian Street Food Instagram: sahan.mezopotamian (02) 964 991 67 35-39 Auburn Road, AUBURN, NSW 2144, Australia Source: PropertyTurkey