President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s wife, Emine Erdoğan, spoke about the family’s food culture.
Describing the book ‘Turkish Cuisine with Centennial Recipes’ prepared under the auspices of the Presidency, First Lady said, “Our cuisine is a treasure in itself, a great accumulation. However, our flavors cannot be fully introduced to the world. ‘Turkish Cuisine with Centennial Recipes’ was born with this idea. In this book, the identity of our cuisine and its main characters are highlighted” .
– Not only the food, but also the container in which it is served and cooked, table traditions and presentation styles are at least as valuable as the food. Does the book describe these values as well?
Of course! In each chapter, the history of Turkish cuisine, its multicultural structure and table traditions were mentioned. A kitchen is shaped not only by what is cooked in it, but also by cooking methods and cultural bonds established with the kitchen. Turkish cuisine has a rich accumulation in this sense. We have dishes that are protected by UNESCO. Abugannuş, oruk, künefe, Turkish delight, cream, sausage and poç…
“MULTICULTURAL RULES IN MY HOME KITCHEN”
Can you tell us about your childhood family tables and the tables of the kindergarten you established with our President, reflecting your family tradition?
I’m from Siirt. But I was born and raised in Istanbul. Therefore, I have more command of Istanbul Cuisine. We cook many recipes from different local cuisines. Among the flavors that we love to consume are; There is kitel, curtain pilaf, sever basal soup. Olive oil dishes are also frequently on our table. Since Tayyip Bey is from the Black Sea region, I also adopted this culinary culture. I am open to possible different flavors. I would try recipes I saw in cookbooks or newspaper clippings. I even have a bean cake recipe that I’ve never forgotten. Those who eat this cake cannot believe that there is no flour in it.
