All posts tagged: no waste food

fig jam cheese platter

Tradition vs Reality: Unripe Fig Jam and Summer Scents

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Summer finally! I’ve started to drink white wine! Especially this kind of job can’t be done without wine, can it? I miss those gypsies (or flower ladies) peeling and selling them in streets of Istanbul. I couldn’t see any peeled ones being sold here. So? I decided to do it with skin on but still had to trim them. Alas, I immediately regretted my decision as soon as I got on to it. Why? The sap was sticky! Yes, I was wearing gloves but still it was sticking to the gloves and everywhere. I mainly followed this recipe and this and this (video) when I could easily ring up my recipe source! Basically, you need cleaning out the bitterness, squeezing the little figs and a heck of sugar. I’d seen this jam flashing the vivid green colour and had only tried it once because of the sugar. I am human and I do like desserts – I eat sweets after every meal! – but there’s a level of sweetness I can tolerate. I always ask ‘az serbet(less syrup)‘ …

Humble Delights: Garlic and Onion Scapes

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When I got back home after 2 weeks’ absence, I was delighted to see my plants still healthy. This wine bottle watering system really worked! The bottle was still half full and the soil was wet. Now I don’t need to worry about plants when going on a holiday, yeah! I’ve created a few dishes this week and some turned out really amazing. I can’t wait to share them with you. But for today, I’ll share some tricks you can do with humble garlic and onion scapes you probably see a lot these days. When I see the scapes at the market, my knew-jerk reaction is ‘PICKLE’~! This salty, tangy and sweet pickle is a delight at a meal.  But instead of garlic scapes, I’ve been seeing a lot of onion scapes. Did I miss them while I was away?? I bought the scapes anyway and pickled some of them since I couldn’t eat them all. I threw in some fresh green garlic cloves as well. When pickled, they develop a different flavour. I’ll start eating them after 2 weeks …

Spring Tradition: Goat Kid Caul Fat with Liver and Fennel (Ciğer Sarması)/ Firriato Wine

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Spring is all round and farmers’ markets are once again vibrant with the colours and smells of spring. Despite my ongoing laments for Turkey’s lack of gastronomy, one thing I did miss while I was in London was this fresh seasonal local produce. All the wild plants started to come out, wild asparagus, fennel, ebegumeci, stinging nettles and what not. I’ve written an article about Turkish wild plants for Koreans since they are very keen eaters of wild plants. I might replicate it in English this spring. Anyway, I put together a classic tasting platter using the goodies I’d brought; Jambon Iberico with Asparagus and Brie, Smoked Salmon with Fennel and Avocado. Yummy as always… In my in-laws’ house, on the other hand, a different culinary tradition was happening. The Thracian region has a tradition of eating lamb liver but Canakkale has a very special delicacy, which is eaten once a year in spring months. Goat Kid… That tradition is the consequence of goat dairy production and, as the article says, it’s better to use it rather than waste it. I tasted kid meat for the first time 2 …

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 …

radish miso tahini

KIMCHI Workshop and Radish Spinach Miso Tahini Rice Bowl

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It was fun making kimchi with many people and I was proud to share my know-hows and clarify some of the myths surrounding the most essential Korean food. I was also very surprised by the enthusiasm of the participants, who seemed more obsessed with kimchi than me!

I would like to thank those who joined the event and also, Istanbul Cooking School for opening their space for us.

An Innocent Cook, Cheated…

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Ok, I’ve taken the involuntary absence from the blogging sphere as a sort of excuse to stay away from the computer and instead doing some reading to prepare myself for the upcoming wine course. But it’s about time I broke the silence. So here I am, quite puzzled by what is happening here politically and disappointed that I’ve been so complacent about the freedom in social media and the internet law. Yes, I’ve heard and read about it but somehow my little heart always hoped that it wouldn’t affect me and my life. But I’ve been proven wrong, which makes me think how other journalists cope with this unjust law since it concerns their job. I haven’t been able to access any WordPress blogs, including mine, for a week now. Many posts are waiting in the queue, many guests have come and gone and many foods have been shared. At first, I thought it was a temporary technical glitch but, when I saw a message saying ‘This site has been blocked by the court decision.’, …