All posts tagged: Canakkale

brussels sprouts sambal

Chicken Liver Sambal Goreng: No Waste Food, Free Range Chicken

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I’ve been in Istanbul for work and another Kimchi workshop, which was fantastic. Apologies to those who had been turned down due to the size of the class. From now on, I’ll give a private class, so if you have a group who is interested in making Kimchi, please contact me privately. I’m going to make a separate event page for workshops soon so please check in regularly, though I feel bad I’m not writing as often as I should. Well, spring is around the corner and I’ll be more active. Now I’m back home to prepare my trip to Raw Wine London. Let me save this subject for another time and talk about beautiful Canakkale. I’m so happy to be back here. When I was in Istanbul, people kept asking about my life in Canakkale. People who grew up in Istanbul or in a big city can’t imagine life in a small town; to them, leaving it behind is the end of the world. I don’t have such an attachment, very blessed, and I adapt to any place as long as …

bilberry tart

Bilberry Almond Cream Tart (yaban mersini tart)

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As the weather is getting cold quite quickly by day, people are resorting indoors these days. So I came up with an idea to bring some liveliness and it was a Korean Pop-up event, which has attracted quite a big crowd. I’ll be busy shopping and preparing for the event from tomorrow and this is my post till I’m free again after the event. Today I wanted to share my trip to Canakkale in the beginning of October. I went there by myself on impulse to give my in-laws a nice surprise. I turned up unannounced and rang the bell. Though my appearance didn’t go as I’d imagined on my way there, – the mixed expressions on their face of being surprised, puzzled and delighted, – when mum rushed home from the pilates class, face flushed and the plastic shoe covers still on, I could sense she was surprised and excited. And she hugged me, saying “What a lovely surprise!” I stayed for 5 days eating, cooking, drinking with them every day and came back with homemade winter preserves, jam and dried pasta and …

Turkish Korean Wedding and Wine

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When your friend is a reputable photographer and you hire him on a friendship base, it’s hard to be demanding. I’d been dying to see the wedding photos because it was such a special event, and it’s been almost one month and they finally came through. Not quite but still good enough to take a glance at what happened. The first time I stood on top of the temple of Athena in Assos three years ago, I said to myself, “I’m going to have my wedding here.” Despite everyone trying to dissuade me from going there early in the morning and getting exhausted under the beating sun, I stood firm and made it happen. It’s about 1.5 hours drive, total 3 hours, from Çanakkale, Mr.O’s hometown, where our wedding took place so they had a reason to object. But I WE DID IT! I did everything from makeup to hair because I didn’t trust Turkish hairdressers after my disastrous last experience. We did a very casual shoot, laughing and giggling – I feel sorry for …

Turkish Melon Yogurt Ice cream

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As you might have read, I went on a guerrilla trip from Istanbul to Bodrum, joining Mr.O’s relatives and friends along the way. When we were coming back to Istanbul, we brought some Aegean foods with us. The things I always pick up at the roadside stalls are tomatoes, melons and watermelons, for which  Canakkale is renowned, while we snack on fresh figs and other fruit close to Izmir while driving. I love a road trip in late August because of the lush landscapes and the sight of fresh food stalls at village markets. I will share photos from a market in Bodrum in another post later. Also, I always look forward to tasting ice cream in Canakkale and Assos, where you can taste the best ice cream in Turkey, which is a slightly different or improved version in my opinion, so fresh and not so sweet. In case you are new to my blog, I can link you to the eternal place in my heart, Assos and how it is the reason I fell …