All posts tagged: gluten free

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 …

Asparagus New Season Garlic in Polenta Tart Crust

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I will have to give a darn good excuse for such a long silence this time, won’t I? What could it be? Yes, I’m getting married..finally!! I’ve been running around for the past 3 weeks – in order of importance – to find the venue, set the date, collect necessary documents and get them notarised, do a medical checkup, which I don’t know what for,  find the wedding dress, and so on. I had no idea what I was putting myself into; it’s quite a lot of work. I was secretly planning for a small intimate event in a winery until I got an absolute ‘NO’ from Mr.O’s parents, and my wedding plan started to shape up in a form completely different to my original ideas. Of course, I was disappointed and they acknowledged it but there is no point in trying to persuade Mr.O’s parents risking disharmony and stress, especially since all guests will be Turks, to whom a wedding is all about dancing. If I’d insisted, the winery wedding could have come true …

Cauliflower-Crusted Baked Fish Nuggets / Kayra Allure

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Everyone went to bed with the forewarning of a Siberian snowstorm and of closing of schools last night. It’s a privilege not having to walk to the bakery for the morning bread. If you’re crazy about fresh morning bread like me, you’d plan the hours of buying bread and never mind going out early in the morning to pick up bread. Whenever I think of fresh morning bread, I think of my Bordeaux time with my mentor, who buys bread 3 times a day and is very strict about the morning bread. Life is too short to eat bad bread, he says. Well, one can’t eat a whole loaf of baguette, though one easily can if one doesn’t hear the inner voice that nags you “Eat Healthy!”, but if you can’t finish it all, well, it’s a big food waste, which will be banned in Seattle from this year and which has been restricted in Korea for a long time. Most households have a dehydrator like this at home but in Turkey, they have street …

kohlrabi fritter

Kohlrabi Kimchi Curry Fritters

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As Chinese cabbages start to appear at markets, I’m pondering the idea of ‘Annual Kimchi Project’, but this time in a grand scale; I need to think harder how I’ll make it happen. Koreans have already got their kimchi made and tucked away to ferment but I’m still not too behind in this part of the world. Towards the end of the year, every household has stinky over-fermented kimchi. When I was in Korea in October, I noticed that kimchi didn’t appear on the table that often; kimchi was running out! So all Koreans must be feeling rich and secure by now. But here I hardly have kimchi in my fridge so using kimchi in cooking is unthinkable. As you know, I made Calamari Kimchi Fritters at my Korean Soiree, using the precious kimchi I had brought, which was a big hit. So you must try making some if you’ve got some kimchi to ‘spare‘. A few nights ago Mr.O and I played a game, ‘10 dishes you must try in different countries‘. When it …

spinach meatball

Spinach Kale Cheese Balls with Quick Harissa

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What I love about my new neighborhood, which is one of the best areas as far as the livability goes, there is a huge park where you can jog or play tennis or all sorts of activities happen all the time. I watched a classical concert and Eurasia dance show all by chance. On top of that, you can eat a big open-buffet breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning. Every Monday a big, I mean a HUGE farmer’s market (you can check go on to Son Mastori and click on the link) and there is also an organic market every Wednesday. If not at those farmers’ markets, there is still a small indoor traditional market where I usually shop for my everyday needs. “Let’s support small grocers!” I never buy groceries at supermarkets. No matter how cheaper things are in supermarkets and no matter how many ‘Buy 1 Get 1 Free‘ deals there are to tempt me. I love the interactions with people. I don’t get ripped off in this neighborhood as I used to. …