The idea of Turkish food might be limited to common Mediterranean delicacies like hummus, pita bread, and lavash, as well as several other dips and condiments. While bread and condiments are the staples of Middle Eastern cuisine, the Turks like to enjoy a lavish spread for breakfast. Turkish cuisine is an amalgamation of Balkan, Central Asian, and East European influences and reflects the rich Ottoman heritage.
The idea of breakfast is one of peaceful eating and community bonding in Turkey. That’s why kahvalti is commonly prepared on the weekends when the entire family sits together and eats breakfast. While discussing their week and chatting the morning away, the Turks believe in family time before starting the day. Kahvalti, for the unversed, is a culmination of several bite-sized foods that are put together for breakfast, including cheese, eggs, bread, cured meats, and condiments like honey, jam, and spreads.
Here are some of the most important components of a kahvalti:
1. Bread
The fanfare that bread and dips enjoy in Middle-Eastern cuisine is no stranger to us. You would find the Turks breaking bread with simit. It is a local variety coated with sesame seeds and shaped like a bagel but with a softer texture. It is usually paired with jams, spreads, honey, etc. You can also top it with some cheese or menemen, i.e., scrambled Turkish eggs.
2. Cheese
The cheese is an important part of the kahvalti. While there are several varieties available, the most popular one is beyaz peynir, or feta cheese, which is made with cow milk. Apart from this, kasseri, a sheep's milk cheese, and lor and tulum, a semi-hard cheese, are also commonly eaten as part of breakfast. These cheese slices are placed on bread and eaten.
3. Condiments
These include jams, honey, dips, and spreads. For instance, apricot and cherry jams are popular choices in the country. Apart from fruit preserves, you would also find molasses, tahini, and hazelnut-based spreads like Nutella doing the rounds on a Turkish kahvalti. A black olive-based spread is also common in certain households.
4. Eggs
While Turkish cilbir, or eggs in garlic-flavoured yoghurt sauce, and shakshouka are quite well known outside of Turkey, there is a special egg dish that is made for breakfast. Called sucuklu yumurta, the eggs are paired with sausages, and this is the most preferred dish on the table. The highlight is the spicy beef sausage that is fried and served with eggs. If you prefer a good dose of vegetables in the first meal of your day, you can opt for menemen, where scrambled eggs are mixed with veggies and oregano.
5. Tea
Turks are famous for carefully brewing their tea in a Turkish double boiler kettle. Unlike American brunches that are famous for alcoholic beverages, to go with this lavish spread, the Turks enjoy sipping a cup of freshly brewed black tea. It is usually made from black tea leaves. It is such an important part of kahvalti that once the eating is done, they continue to sit and chat while sipping this tea for long hours.