Istanbul Archive

Walking through the door at Baylan, an old school pastry shop in Istanbul’s Kadıköy district, is like warping back in time to the 1970s, seemingly the last time they redecorated the place. The decor may be tired and worn, but you’ll hardly (more…)

I am used to being underwhelmed by burgers in Rome, a place sadly lacking a BBQ culture, but I have greater expectations in Istanbul where grilled meat is ubiquitous. And if you’ve ever seen köfte, you know a burger patty isn’t a huge leap (more…)

When it is done well, lahmacun is a beautiful and magical thing. Combining equal parts crispiness, meatiness and spice, this thin Turkish pizza can be a satisfying savory snack for some, or a full-fledged meal for others. I personally (more…)

This afternoon I took a stroll along the Bosphorus from Rumeli Hisarı to Kuruçeşme. It was a lovely day in Istanbul and the breeze coming across the water was fresh and clean until I hit Arnavutköy, where the whole placed reeked of low tide (more…)

There is tons going on in Istanbul all year long to celebrate the city’s status as the 2010 European Capital of Cultural. Here is a round-up of cultural and athletic events worth checking out: (more…)

Photo courtesy 2010 ECOC

As part of the 2010 European Capital of Culture events, Istanbul will be hosting a series of photography exhibits entitled Fotograf Geçidi – The Photograph Parade. The aim is to document the city with photographs, so as to leave a visual record (more…)

It is no secret that I am obsessed with artichokes. They are a common enough topic here on Parla Food. As great as the Roman variety is, I don’t discriminate. I love those from Puglia, Sardegna, Sicily, and elsewhere equally. I particularly like the (more…)

Keşkek is a starchy boiled wheat stew with chickpeas and chicken or lamb traditionally eaten for breakfast on holidays in Anatolia. The ingredients are cooked together in a ceramic vessel and mashed with a wooden spoon, which gives a slightly (more…)

I am a pretty big fan of intestines. Anything that is a fundamental ingredient in sausage is cool with me and pajata is one of my all-time favorite pasta condiments. I had these mumbar dolması (stuffed intestines) at Çiya Sofrası in (more…)

Erzincan Tulumu is a pungent sheep’s milk cheese made in the Erzincan province of Eastern Turkey. Traditionally, it was aged in goat skin. You can see vendors in Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar unwrapping it from its animal skin sheath (more…)