Turkish cuisine - More insights - By food author Howard Hillman

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Talented chefs

Turkey has some of the most dedicated and talented cooks on earth.

Outbound influences

Turkish cuisine has had a great influence on the cooking of many Middle Eastern countries - especially Greece.

Inbound influences

At the same time, Turkish cuisine has borrowed much. The Turks (who began arriving in the 6th Century A.D.) brought cooking The Greek influence is most noticeably apparent along Turkey's Aegean Coast while the Arab influence is readily apparent along Turkey's Mediterranean Coast - this means, for example, cooks along the Aegean Coast use olive oil far more liberally in their dishes than do their countrymen along the Mediterranean Coast.techniques such as shish kebab cooking from their ancestral homeland in Central Asia.

Turkey also absorbed the cooking styles indigenous to the neighboring lands of Greece, Syria, Iran and Armenia.

The Greek influence is most noticeably apparent along Turkey's Aegean Coast while the Arab influence is readily apparent along Turkey's Mediterranean Coast - this means, for example, cooks along the Aegean Coast use olive oil far more liberally in their dishes than do their countrymen along the Mediterranean Coast.

Turkish breakfast

This famous traditional morning medley includes cheese, olives, boiled eggs, breads, coffee, and more.

Favorite beverage

Turkish coffee comes quickly to mind when most foreigners think of Turkey's favorite drink. In reality, tea is the country's leading beverage. Coffee doesn't even come close.

Best city for gourmets

Istanbul is the top all-around Turkish cuisine city. Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Izmer and Konya are runners-up.