Author Archives: Kathrin

Around The World: Ireland – Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale

Around The World: Ireland – Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale
Around The World: Ireland – Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale

Hello everybody out there!

Today I’m telling you something about drinks in Ireland.

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland - Jameson Whiskey Drink with Ginger Ale by gingerlemonandspice

 

Well, there are a few things that come to mind immediately: Black Tea, Baileys and, of course, Guinness. 

 

It is true, the Irish drink black tea such as their favorite brand ‘Barry’s ‘ on every occation! May it be in the morning for breakfast or after any meal and in between too! They even drink it, when they come home from a late night out, before they go to bed! And if you’re going to visit a friend, you’ll probably get a cup of tea too. If you have a problem and you want to discuss it with someone, even then, you first get a cup of tea! Black tea is used as the best problem solver, reason for a social meeting and equalizer of all things, that might be out of balance in your life. And it works, even if you’re not Irish! When I’m over there for a visit I actually kind of crave it! I have taken boxes over boxes of black tea home with me but it nearly never has the same effect on me in Germany 😀 Some people drink it with milk and/or sugar, some just plain. there is no rule for that!

Baileys of course is an Irish cream alcoholic drink and especially during this time of year the food blog world is swarmed with recipes for making it yourself or using it in baking or cooking. I bet I won’t have to explain that to any of you!

And then there is Guinness. A very black, thick and strong tasting beer that is brewed since 1759 in Dublin. Of course they changed the location in Dublin with time, and there are several more brewerys all over the world now, but the first one was in Dublin. And there you can still have a look how its done because the old brewery is now the ‘Guinness Storehouse’ – a museum where you can follow every step of the brewing process. I have actually been there and hold a certificate of mastering the perfect technique to pour a glass of Guinness! 😉 This beer is actually not a drink you would order with your food, as it is quite strong in flavor and feels like being a meal on its own!

Next to the Guinness there are a lot of other different beers and drinks you can order, that might not be as popular internationally, but locally. For example: Kilkenny or Murphys or Ciders like Bulmers. Especially Whiskey is very popular in Ireland!

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland - Jameson Whiskey Drink with Ginger Ale by gingerlemonandspice

What I have for you today is a long drink mixed with an Irish Whiskey of the Jameson Destillery. It is a very delicious and mild whiskey with a vanilla bean flavor. Actually I went on a trip to visit the Destillery’s museum in Dublin with my godchild last year and that is where I tried this long drink for the first time and fell in love!

They told us there that this was a very modern drink and it has ‘fans’ all over the world and it would be spreading even more. I guess it doesn’t have reached Germany yet then 😉 because I haven’t found it in any bars yet. But you can still get it, if you tell them what you want mixed! Or even better: Make your own!

Just scroll down for the recipe for Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale!

 

Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale
 
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A tasty and ice cold drink perfect for enjoying in the backyard on a warm evening! It is not overly sweet and the mildness and vanilla taste of the Jameson make it a perfect whiskey drink for the ladies 🙂
Author:
Recipe type: Drink
Cuisine: Irish
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 2-4 cl Irish Jameson Whiskey
  • about 200 ml Ginger Ale
  • Ice cubes to fill about half of your glass
  • lime wedges
Instructions
  1. Just pour and put everything into a nice glass and stir a little with a straw.
  2. Lean back and Enjoy!

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland - Jameson Whiskey Drink with Ginger Ale by gingerlemonandspice

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

Breakfast – Irish Scones with Raisins

Fast Food – Egg Salad Sandwich & Crisps

Soup – Seafood Chowder

Main Dish – Irish Stew with Guinness

Dessert – Fruit Crumble

Pastry – Barmbrack Sweet Bread

 

~ Kathrin

Around The World: Ireland – Eggsalad Sandwich & Crisps

Around The World: Ireland – Eggsalad Sandwich & Crisps
Around The World: Ireland – Eggsalad Sandwich & Crisps

Welcome to the second day of the Around the World series featuring Ireland!

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Eggsalad Sandwiches with Crisps by gingerlemonandspice

In Ireland most of the agriculture is based on livestock farming, especially dairy farming. Irish dairy products such as Kerrygold Butter or cheese are greatly advertised and known internationally! As the most parts of the rural areas are grasslands, especially keeping milkcows is a good business and the milk and products of those fresh herb and grass fed animals are known for their great taste.

Another product the Irish diet is based upon are potatoes, which came to the island in the second half of the 16th century. A story says, that the people in Ireland were poor and did not have much to eat during that time but they didn’t trust the new plant and wouldn’t eat from it or eat the leaves, which are poisonous. So what the governers did was plant fields of potatoes but protect them with many guards from thiefs. Now the residents thought the plant was incredible precious and stole the plants anyway and planted their own fields. This helped the potato to become a very important ingredient of the Irish diet in a short time! But unfortunately it lead also to the big famine of the years past 1845 because of crop failures of the potato and many people died.

 

I guess because in history the people of Ireland where poor people which always had to be creative to get enough to eat on the table, the most popular dishes often are rich breads, hearty stews and soups and seafood meals. This means that there is no particular culture of serving appetizers, salads and extravagant desserts! But the food scenery in Ireland got very internationally inspired during the last years. Especially the italian cuisine is very popular!

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Eggsalad Sandwiches with Crisps by gingerlemonandspice

But one thing you can find in almost any cuisine and this is some kind of snack or fast food, because sometimes there is just the need for a quick and easy meal.

The most popular Irish snack or fast food are sandwiches. You can get them everywhere – in supermarkets, at airports, bus and train stations or in pubs. It is one of the most traditional things served in pubs! And in pubs is where I recommend you to try them when you are visiting the island! There is nothing compared to a fresh sandwich, prepared in front of your eyes with whatever filling you wish and served with a generous handful of crisps at the side!

I used to only know the sandwiches that are kept in plastic package and can be bought at supermarkets for example and they are usually really dry and boring. So it took me some time until an Irish friend took me to a pub and invited me to a sandwich, and now I don’t want to miss it on any of my trips! Also if you look for it you will find several Deli stands, even in supermarkets, that also prepare the sandwiches right there when you order them. It’s such a huge difference!!

 

The recipe I have for you today is the one for a sandwich with my favorite filling: Egg Salad. Even better, if it’s accompanied by some salad leaves, cheese and fresh slices of tomato! Yummmm!!

Just give it a try, you won’t regret it! 

 

Eggsalad Sandwich & Crisps
 
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This is a delicious sandwich that's perfect for an everyday snack or light lunch! It's quick to prepare and the crisps on the side add a nice crunch to this dish!
Author:
Recipe type: Snack, Sandwich
Cuisine: Irish
Serves: 2
Ingredients
for the eggsalad:
  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 1 Tbsp. of Yoghurt
  • 1 Tbsp. of Mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh finely chopped parsley
  • juice of ½ a lime
  • salt, pepper
other ingredients:
  • 4 big slices of sandwich bread
  • a handful of young salad leaves
  • 3 Tbsp. grated cheddar (preferably Irish)
  • 1 tomato in thin slices
  • 2 big handfuls of crisps (preferably Irish salt or salt & vinegar crisps)
Instructions
  1. First prepare the egg salad by peeling and chopping the eggs in chunks that are not too small. Add yoghurt, mayonnaise, parsley, limejuice, pepper and salt to the mix and stir. Taste if the mix needs more of anything! Eggs can use quite a bit of salt, so keep that in mind.
  2. Lay two slices of the bread in front of you and spread the eggsalad on them. Add the cheese, salad and tomato slices on top and cover with another slice of bread. Cut diagonally into 4 pieces and arrange them on nice plates.
  3. Put the crisps next or around the sandwiches and dig in!!

 

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Eggsalad Sandwiches with Crisps by gingerlemonandspice

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

Breakfast – Irish Scones with Raisins

Drink – Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale

Soup – Seafood Chowder

Main Dish – Irish Stew with Guinness

Dessert – Fruit Crumble

Pastry – Barmbrack Sweet Bread

 

~ Kathrin

 

Around The World, Week By Week: IRELAND & Irish Scones

Around The World, Week By Week: IRELAND & Irish Scones
Around The World, Week By Week: IRELAND & Irish Scones

Hello everybody!

It has been some time, since I last posted and a lot of things have happend, but I hope you’re still out there somewhere and ready for a new week of AROUND THE WORLD, WEEK BY WEEK!!

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Irish Breakfast Scones by gingerlemonandspice

As I told you already in this post and another one including a recipe for delicious Brown Soda Bread, IRELAND feels kind of like my second home. When the plane sinks through the clouds and I get a first look of the green fields surrounded by the dark stone walls covered with blackberry bushes I feel very calm and excited all at once.

Ireland from gingerlemonandspice.com

I have been to the green isle already so many times, I just lost count –  I guess it might be around 15 times or so, but thats definitly not the final number.

It is no surprise then, that I chose this country to be the second one featured in the Around the World series!

Ireland by gingerlemonandspice.com

The Republic of Ireland is an island located in the north west of Europe and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Wikipedia tells me, that the population of the isle is about 6.4 million whilst 4.6 million people live in the Republic of Ireland and 1.8 million people in Northern Ireland, which belongs to the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Especially in the south the effects of the gulf stream can be seen in a very mild climate which allows even palm trees to grow in some places! The island is known for its very green appearance due to the big amount of rain that comes down, compared with other countries.

 

I think thats enough talk for right now, I have the whole week to talk about the country and don’t want to tell you all at once 😉

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Irish Breakfast Scones by gingerlemonandspice

Since in Ireland there isn’t a special tradition of serving appetizers or other food before the main course (which should usually be the category of the first recipe in the series) I thought I might share with you some info about what the Irish eat for breakfast!

So here it comes 🙂

Actually there is a dish that is called a ‘Full Irish Breakfast’, but I am not able to shoot any pictures of my own of it because it is nearly impossible for me to get those ingredients in Germany! It contains baked irish small sausages, bacon, tomatoes, irish black pudding (a kind of blood sausage), mushrooms, fried eggs and baked beans! Of course buttered toast can’t be missed with this! If you want to have a look how its done look at Donal Skehan’s page and see how a real irish fella makes his ‘Full Irish’!

Of course this dish is more of a special breakfast on weekends as it takes some time to prepare and is a bit heavy on the calories for an everyday breakfast too.

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Irish Breakfast Scones by gingerlemonandspice

On a usual school day people prefere to eat porridge (a warm pudding of oats and milk or water with sugar and maybe fruit) or some kind of scones with butter, cream and jam. And this is what I have for you!

Scroll down for my recipe for Irish Breakfast Scones with Raisins!

 

Irish Breakfast Scones with Raisins
 
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A perfect and quick to make scone recipe which pleases everyone! Yummy scones for breakfast, teatime or any time of the day with an incredible easy recipe!
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast, Teatime
Cuisine: Irish
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 450 g flour
  • 1 sachet baking powder (1 Tbsp)
  • 50 g sugar
  • 50 g softened margarine
  • a pinch of salt
  • 300 ml milk
  • 100 g of raisins
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 220° C.
  2. Mix all the ingredients together, except the raisins, they should be added last. I just use a fork to work the dough. It should still be wet but dry enough to handle!
  3. Just use two tablespoons to form big balls and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
  4. Bake the scones for 12-15 minutes. They are ready if the top and bottom is golden - don't bake them too long! Enjoy 🙂
Notes
You can leave the raisins out if you don't like them or substitute with nuts or other dried fruits! Serve the scones with butter, whipped cream & jam! In the pictures I served them with lemon curd.

You can find my recipe for Creamy Lemon Curd here!

 

Around The World, Week by Week: Ireland -  Irish Breakfast Scones by gingerlemonandspice

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

Fast Food – Egg Salad Sandwich & Crisps

Drink – Jameson Whiskey with Ginger Ale

Soup – Seafood Chowder

Main Dish – Irish Stew with Guinness

Dessert – Fruit Crumble

Pastry – Barmbrack Sweet Bread

 

 ~ Kathrin

 

MY SUMMER

MY SUMMER

Hey guys!!

Sorry I’ve been a.w.o.l. for such a long time!! It’s been summer, I’ve been away from school most of the time and I didn’t really find the mood to get into writing again. I’ve missed the food blogging community! There were days when I sat down and tried to catch up a bit but I just couldn’t get into writing again myself.

I sincerely hope that you guys are still out there and want to keep on reading what I write, cooking what I cook and just be a part of my life!! 🙂

http://gingerlemonandspice.com

What have I been up to this summer??

Well, I finally went to Ireland again – it felt like eternity that I haven’t been there! I went with my 16 year old godchild and it simply was fantastic. I think I never wanted to stay there that badly after a trip yet!!

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The first 5 days we went solo and stayed in hostels in Dublin and Galway. We have met really nice people, did not so much sightseeing but a lot of shopping, a little bit of pub-ing and just enjoyed being in Ireland! We have both been there before (read about my love for Ireland here) and loved the country and the people before, but it was very special for me to show her those two cities and all the other great places which were new to her!! We have even made some new friends, especially one from O.C. comes to mind (wink wink 😉 ) who even came with us to Galway for a day even if he had planned to go somewhere totally different!

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Also we went to a new place, where I haven’t been before: A little town right out of Dublin called Howth. It really was sooo beautiful there! I just wanted to stay and live there forever! It was a peninsula just 20 minutes with the train outside of Dublin, surrounded by water with a beautiful harbour area and spectacular cliff walks around the town! I can really recommend spending time there if you get the chance!!

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After our two days in Galway which included a day tour to the Burren (a very rocky area in Ireland) and the Cliffs of Moher we finally went down south to the twincity of our hometown: Clonakilty. Arriving there were another 70 people of our hometown wanting to celebrate 400 years of the town of Clonakilty with a German Week! Rosie and me even brought our clarinets so that we could play with the small orchestra that was part of the group and bring some traditional bavarian music to our twincities festivities 🙂 We had a great time during that week making music in pubs, strees and even in a retirement home, meeting friends, making new friends, having great talks and just enjoy or time!

I don’t want to say to much but let the pictures speak for themselves 🙂

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The rest of the summer I was enjoying some time at home with my family, taking part in a big festival of the town celebrating the beginning of autumn which I haven’t been doing for years (GREAT fun!!!!) and having some alone time to start writing on my masters thesis in the city I am studying and living in. It wasn’t so much excitement all at once but I had a good time and relaxed and now I’m fresh for everything that might be coming next ! 🙂

http://gingerlemonandspice.com

Sorry there will be no recipe for today, I think all the pictures make this post long enough, but there will be something for you waiting in the pipeline! 🙂

I am dying to know: What have you been up to this summer??

 http://gingerlemonandspice.com

Lot’s of love,

~ Kathrin

 

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A Guest Post: Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad

A Guest Post: Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad
A Guest Post: Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad

Hey there everybody!

So the first week of my new series Around the World, Week by Week is now over! I hope you enjoyed the last seven days, the little excursus in turkish cuisine and culture and the seven recipes!!

As I promised at the beginning  I will have something special at the end – and it is a guest post!! Zerrin is the lovely lady behind Give Recipe. She is a new mom, lives in Turkey and has the most delicious recipes on her blog!! I love browsing through them – it reminds me so much of my time in Izmir 🙂

I am so happy that she took some of her small amount of free time to write this post for my page!! Also she brings one of my absolute favorite turkish foods to you: Acılı Ezme!! I ate it literally all the time I could get it – even for breakfast with some cream cheese, cucumbers and tomatoes! I couldn’t find it in the stores in Germany but now I can make my own! 🙂 It really is fantastic!

So go on, scroll down and read all about turkish food and habits from a native! And don’t forget to click over to Zerrin’s blog! 🙂

~ Kathrin

 

Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad

Hi everyone!

I am Zerrin of Give Recipe from Turkey. I’m so pleased to be here, writing at Kathrin’s lovely blog! I met her a very short time ago and love that we are both so passionate about food! I always love to meet such foodies! When I learnt that she lived in Izmir, Turkey for some time, I knew that we would have lots of things to talk about. It’s great to hear Turkish names of our dishes from her; not everyone knows cacik or pirinç pilavı unless they are as enthusiastic about food and culture as Kathrin!

Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad

I’m going to share a very addictive salad from Turkish cuisine here today. Hope you all love it!

Ezme is known as a salad or appetizer in Turkey. It is mostly served with kebabs at kebab restaurants. Have you tried Turkish kebab yet? You’ve missed a lot if you haven’t! It is one of the foods you must taste at least once in your life! Once you try it, you will get addicted! Mezzes or side dishes served before kebab and you enjoy them before your kebab is brought. Be careful not to eat too much of these; otherwise you won’t have any room for kebab! Acılı Ezme is just one of those irresistible appetizers.

Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad

Ezme means “mashed”, so this is a kind of mashed salad. Genuine kebab restaurants make it with a big cleaver or with a special double handled knife. It’s absolutely easier to chop vegetables with a blender, but there is a remarkable difference between the flavors of ezme made by cleaver or double handled knife and the one made by blender or any other electrical device. It MUST be chopped by hand, otherwise it gets too juicy.

Pomegranate molasses is almost a must in acili ezme since it gives a very nice sweet-sourish flavor and a darker color to the salad. If you can’t find it in your area, you can increase the amount of lemon juice a little. As for the spices, hot chili powder is the main one. Another spice I personally love in ezme salad is sumac, which increases its sourness. You can add dried mint too to add a little refreshment and to balance the sour and hot flavor of the salad.

The best bread to serve with ezme is Turkish lavash, which is similar to tortilla or Turkish pide. Kebabs are generally served with these two breads, so you can dip them into ezme as a bonus! And Ayran, which is a fabulous cold yogurt drink, is undoubtedly the best drink with these irresistible foods!

Acılı Ezme – Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad

Since it’s a refreshing salad, ezme is a perfect choice to accompany any dish in summer! You know what? I can even have it at breakfast! Its spiciness help me wake up and it whets my appetite to eat more.

 

Acılı Ezme - Turkish Spicy Ezme Salad
 
Author:
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients
  • 2 tomatoes, peeled
  • 1 onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 chili peppers
  • ¼ bunch of parsley
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tsp pepper paste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp sumac
  • A pinch of dried mint
Instructions
  1. Chop peeled tomatoes, onion, garlic, chili peppers and parsley as finely as you can. The finer the better. Mix them in a bowl.
  2. Mix lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, olive oil and pepper paste until smooth. Add this mixture into salad.
  3. Add salt and spices, mix well.
  4. Chill it in refrigerator for half an hour and serve!

 

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

An Introduction to the new series

Appetizer – Sigara Böreği

Main Dish – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Dessert – Künefe

Drink – Ayran 

Salad – Kısır

Pastry – Kurabiye

Snack/Fast Food – Lahmacun

Around the World: Turkey – Kurabiye, Turkish Cookies

Around the World: Turkey – Kurabiye, Turkish Cookies
Around the World: Turkey – Kurabiye, Turkish Cookies

Selam! Hi guys! 🙂

What I have for you today are some delicious Turkish cookies called Kurabiye! They are crunchy on the outside and a little softer on the inside which comes from adding the yoghurt to the dough! Also I liked the dough VERY much because it has such a funny texture which should remind you of how an earlobe feels! That was all I was thinking about when I formed them, I had soo much to laugh 😀 Sometimes I’m a little childish!!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kurabiye, Turkish almond and citrus Cookies by gingerlemonandspice

Three days ago I told you about some drinking habbits of the Turkish people. And this is something that goes perfectly with it! Eat those Kurabiye (Almond and Citrus Cookies) with a nice cup or glass of tea and just enjoy 🙂

Something else that goes with tea or coffee is Turkish Delight! Have you ever heard of it? It has something of the consistency of gummybears but is cut in cubes or cylinders! It is a sweet delicacy to nibble on while you taste the bitterness of the coffee or tea! You can buy it in very many different flavors and filled with nuts or herb aromas or fruit juices… My absolute favorite ones were the Lokum (Turkish word for Turkish Delight) with pomegranate flavor and filled with pistacchios!! But the honey and walnut ones were sooo delicious too! 🙂 If you try them make sure to buy some good ones, because there are big differences in the quality. They have whole stores in Turkey devoted to sell just Turkish Delight which tells you how important this specialty is in Turkey!

You can see the Lokum on the right side, it was with honey, hazelnuts and coconut!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kurabiye, Turkish almond and citrus Cookies by gingerlemonandspice

Cookies are very popular in Turkey too, throughout the year! You can find and buy them fresh in special bakeries, supermarkets or coffee shops. I tried a big mixed box of cookies from a coffee shop nearly at the end of my stay and I had some regrets about that 😉 They had many different flavors like chocolate, vanilla, pistacchio, with Kellog’s, with nuts or choc chips – it was amazing! And they were soo delicious too!!

On my next stay in Turkey I definitly will buy them again – I have not found the same quality here in the Turkish markets in Germany!

The recipe for one type of cookie you can find below – the yummy almond and citrus cookies 🙂

Hope you like them as much as I did!!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kurabiye, Turkish almond and citrus Cookies by gingerlemonandspice

 

Don’t forget: If you have any questions about Turkey, or if you have made your own experiences with Turkish food, the people, the culture or the country please leave a comment!! I would love to hear about it!

 

Kurabiye
 
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Yummy turkish cookies with citrus and almond flavor!
Author:
Recipe type: Cookies
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: a lot
Ingredients
  • 750g flour
  • 2 eggs (1 seperated)
  • 1 sachet baking powder (1 tablespoon)
  • 1 sachet vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 300g sugar
  • 250g margarine (room temperature)
  • 250g süzme yoğurt (Yoghurt with 10 % fett, but you could use less too)
  • 50g shaved almonds
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
Instructions
  1. Beat the whole egg and the eggwhite with sugars and yoghurt until well incorporated. Add oil, zest and margarine and mix!
  2. Put in flour, almonds and baking powder and blend until a very soft dough forms. The Turkish say it should feel like ones earlobe! 😉
  3. Take small pieces of the dough and form them into balls, put them on baking paper covered sheets and coat them with a little of the egg yolk.
  4. Bake the Kurabiye for 40 minutes and let them cool. Eat immediate or store in an airtight container.
  5. Enjoy with a glass of çay (turkish black tea)!!

Afiyet olsun! Enjoy 🙂

 

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

An Introduction to the new series

Appetizer – Sigara Böreği

Main Dish – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Dessert – Künefe

Drink – Ayran

Salad – Kısır

Snack/Fast Food – Lahmacun

Guest Post – Acılı Ezme

 

~ Kathrin

Around the World – Turkey: Kısır, Bulgur Salad

Around the World – Turkey: Kısır, Bulgur Salad
Around the World – Turkey: Kısır, Bulgur Salad

Hey guys!

Today I have a yummy salad recipe for you! Kısır is a Turkish bulgur salad packed with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and lots of herbs! It is very refreshing any delicious!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kısır, Bulgur Salad by gingerlemonandspice

I have lots to do today, so I’m a little short about words 😉 Just look at all the yummy pictures and then run to the kitchen and make this yummy salad! That’s what I’ll do at least, as I am invited to a goodbye party this evening and I will make this salad again for tonight.

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kısır, Bulgur Salad by gingerlemonandspice

It is very delicious, with all the herbs and exotic flavors and healthy as well! it keeps in the fridge for several days, so why not make this ahead and eat throughout the week?

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kısır, Bulgur Salad by gingerlemonandspice

It is great mixed with lettuce leaves too – I didn’t even need aditional dressing, the bulgur itself has enough flavor!

And if you want to read more about Turkey don’t forget to look for the other posts of this series below after the recipe!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kısır, Bulgur Salad by gingerlemonandspice

Have you been to Turkey yourself? Have you enjoyed Turkish food? Do you have any questions about the country or the people? Just leave me a comment below! 🙂

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kısır, Bulgur Salad by gingerlemonandspice

Kısır, Bulgur Salad
 
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A great salad to feed lots of people! Perfect for an appetizer, main dish or snack.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 200g fine bulgur (köftelik bulgur - in Turkish Shops)
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 5 green onions
  • 2 pointed peppers
  • 1 red onion
  • 10 small tomatoes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 handfull fresh herbs (parsley, dill, mint)
  • 1 tablespoons salca (red pepper paste - in Turkish Shops)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 5 tablespoons pomegranate syrup (in Turkish Shops)
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • a pinch of chili (pul biber spice)
  • optional: lettuce hearts
Instructions
  1. Put the bulgur into a big bowl and pour the hot water on top. Put a lid (or a big enough plate) on top to seal and let sit for 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile chop onions, pepper, tomatoes and cucumber into small cubes. Chop herbs very finely. Set aside
  3. Mix bulgur with salca, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and pomegranate syrup very well. Put the vegetables and herbs in and mix.
  4. For serving you can leave the salad in the bowl and decorate with tomatoes and parsley or you can arrange the salad on lettuce leaves!

 Afiyet olsun!!

 

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

An Introduction to the new series

Appetizer – Sigara Böreği

Main Dish – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Dessert – Künefe

Drink – Ayran

Pastry – Kurabiye

Snack/Fast Food – Lahmacun

Guest Post – Acılı Ezme

 

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Kısır, Bulgur Salad by gingerlemonandspice

Have a great day!

~ Kathrin

Around the World: Turkey – Ayran, A Turkish Yoghurt Drink

Around the World: Turkey – Ayran, A Turkish Yoghurt Drink
Around the World: Turkey – Ayran, A Turkish Yoghurt Drink

Merhaba! Hey guys!

Today I am going to talk about some special drinks in Turkey. As most of the people in Turkey are Muslims and they should not drink alkohol of course the drinks I am talking about are alcohol free!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Ayran, a Turkish yoghurt drink by gingerlemonandspice

There are three drinks in Turkey that I would consider the most traditional: Tea, Coffee and Ayran.

The people in Turkey drink tea or Çay as the Turkish word is almost everytime of the day. It is even some kind of a social thing! People meet for tea at work between breakfast and lunch and also between lunch and dinner. It is a special time everyone knows about! It is nice to have that break and talk to your collegues 🙂 Also you will be served a glas of tea after every meal – in restaurants and also at home! The tea I’m talking about is a black tea brewed very strongly in a two kettle pot. In the upper one there is the tea and in the lower one is water. When you want to serve the tea you pour just a little bit of the very strong tea into your glas and fill it up with the hot water. Drinking tea is an everyday thing, but it is also celebrated. And that is especially in summer too! I was really surprised when I was offered a hot beverage on those hot days but I took a chance and accepted and it was unbelievable: It really cooles you down and let’s you handle the heat much better!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Ayran, a Turkish yoghurt drink by gingerlemonandspice

Coffee is also a very celebrated drink in Turkey. It is brewed in a very special way and you have to decide before how sweet you like it! The coffee powder, sugar and water are boiled together and then you let your coffee poured in small ‘espresso cups’ sit for a few minutes and the powder sinks to the bottom. Now you can drink your coffee! It is a little bit thicker and creamier than you might be used to, but it is very delicious! When you come to the powder you should of course not drink it. If you are sitting with someone from Turkey they might be offering now to read the future out of your cup! If you get the chance, just do it, it is very fun 🙂 Not everybody takes this seriously!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Ayran, a Turkish yoghurt drink by gingerlemonandspice

The recipe I have for you today is for the secret national drink of Turkey: Ayran! Ayran is a drink mixed from the firm süzme joğurt with water and a tiny bit of salt. You can get it in every restaurant, supermarket or wherever you go! It is especially great to drink on hot days or if you have eaten something really spicy. This drink will wash all the capsaicin (that’s the substance that gives the hot feeling on your tounge) down and you will feel much better! I have realized that not every brand of premade Ayran tastes the same: Most of them are too watery or too salty for my taste butts. Just try different ones, or even better: Make your own!! It is very easy, just scroll down to the recipe!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Ayran, a Turkish yoghurt drink by gingerlemonandspice

 

Ayran -Turkish Yoghurt Drink
 
Prep time
Total time
 
A delicious salty yoghurt drink especially in the summertime! It is also perfect to cool you down if you ate something hot.
Author:
Recipe type: Drink
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 300g süzme yoğurt (Turkish yoghurt with 10% fat - other types will do too, but the higher the fat content the more delicious)
  • 150ml cold water
  • a pinch of salt
Instructions
  1. Mix yoghurt, water and salt until foamy! The drink should be of thicker consistency like a shake. If you use a different type of yoghurt, you might have to adjust the amount of water!
  2. Just add a little salt first and taste, you can still adjust. You will need less than you think!

Afiyet olsun!!

 

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

An Introduction to the new series

Appetizer – Sigara Böreği

Main Dish – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Dessert – Künefe

Salad – Kısır

Pastry – Kurabiye

Snack/Fast Food – Lahmacun

Guest Post – Acılı Ezme

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Ayran, a Turkish yoghurt drink by gingerlemonandspice

~ Kathrin

Around the World: Turkey – Künefe

Around the World: Turkey – Künefe
Around the World: Turkey – Künefe

Merhaba!! 

– that means hello in Turkish! 🙂 

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Künefe by gingerlemonandspice

Today I will talk a little bit about the religion in Turkey.

Most of the people there are Muslims. That means they believe in Allah which is God. The Islam stands on five pillars: Testimony, Prayer, Alms-Giving, Fasting and Pilgrimage. Those are considered obligatory for all believers. The holy book in the Islam is the Quran or Koran, which is said to be verbally revealed from God to the last prohet Mohammad through angel Gabriel. The Muslims are restricted in their diet and should not eat pork, blood and carrion or drink alcohol. All food should be halal.

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Künefe by gingerlemonandspice

I am telling you all this because I want to talk about the month of fasting: Ramadan or as they say in Turkey: Ramazan. It is during the ninth month of the Islam and in this time it is obligatory for all adult Muslims to fast from dawn till sunset except those who are ill, travelling or pregnant. One should refrain from food, drinks (no water!), smoking, having sex and sometimes even swearing. Everyday after sunset there will be the big Iftar (fast-breaking meal) where families and friends come together to celebrate.

I have to say that during my stay in Izmir it was also the time or Ramazan, but most of the people I met weren’t so strict to do a whole month of complete fasting. Some of them did a few days but not all of them. Also the working life is still going on as normal – maybe a bit slower but everything is open. I didn’t expect that! But it could be that this was only because I was in a big cosmopolitan city and it is different in the rural areas! 🙂

 

Ramazan is acutally happening right now! It concludes in the three day long festivities of breaking the fast (Ramazan Bayramı – this year from 8th to 10th of august). Those days are called ‘Zuckerfest’ in German which means ‘sugar festival’ and that says it all about how it is celebrated. Lot’s and lot’s of food will be prepared and eaten together with family, friends and neighbours, especially sweet dishes can be found on the table!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Künefe by gingerlemonandspice

It is only logical that today I have a special dessert for you: It is the crispy and sweet angel hair in syrup with melted cheese called Künefe! It is my absolute favorite dessert in Turkish Cuisine and I hope you enjoy it too!

Don’t foget, if you have any questions about Turkey or have made your own experiences please tell me about it in the comments!!

I’d love to hear about it!!

 

Künefe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A sweet and crispy, creamy and warm dessert that will surprise your taste buds!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: 8
Ingredients
Syrup
  • 300g (1⅓ cup) sugar
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon citrus zest (I used lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons fruit juice (orange or apple)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 sachet vanilla sugar
Künefe
  • 300g tel kadayıf (angel hair noodles from the Turkish store)
  • 150g butter, melted
  • 300g mozzarella cheese
  • 300g kaymak (Turkish cream, mascarpone works too)
  • 100g pistacchios, finally chopped
Instructions
Syrup
  1. Cook water and sugar on the stove until the liquid is reduced to half. Stir once in a while. Take the pot from the stove and whisk in zest, juice and vanilla.
Künefe
  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (360°F)
  2. Chop mozzarella in small cubes and mix with half of the kaymak or mascarpone. Set aside.
  3. Cut the angel hair noodles in 1-2 cm pieces and loosen them up with your fingers. Pour the butter over the noddles and mix very well! Take half of the noddles and press them into a casserole dish big enough or use several smaller ones to make them portion sized.
  4. Distribute the cheese mix evenly on top and add the rest of the noddles on top. Press them down gently.
  5. Put your dish or dishes into the oven and bake for 25 minutes. The top should be golden brown!
  6. Take them out of the oven and pour the syrup over the Künefe. Wait until the syrup is soaked up. Decorate with the rest of the kaymak or mascarpone and the pistacchios! Then serve whilst hot.
  7. Enjoy 🙂
Notes
I forgot to put on the kaymak and pistacchios as the decoration. You will just have to imagine it 😉

Adapted from Sofralar of the KochDichTürkisch-Blog

Afiyet olsun!! 

 

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

An Introduction to the new series

Appetizer – Sigara Böreği

Main Dish – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Drink – Ayran 

Salad – Kısır

Pastry – Kurabiye

Snack/Fast Food – Lahmacun

Guest Post – Acılı Ezme

 

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Künefe by gingerlemonandspice

~ Kathrin

 

Around The World: Turkey – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Around The World: Turkey – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı
Around The World: Turkey – Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı

Hey there!

Today I have a Main Dish from Turkey for you: Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı. It is a classic!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı by gingerlemonandspice

But let’s talk a bit about the country first. Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı by gingerlemonandspice

The Republik of Turkey is a transcontinental country located in Europe but mostly in Asia. It is surrounded on three sides by water, the Mediteranean, Aegean and Black Sea. It is a rather big country with only 75 million people living in it, which makes some areas very rural. Turkey has a very rich history. There are a lot of sites from the time of Alexander the Great, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. I am not much of an expert in any kind of history but it is very impressive to visit the ancient ruins with or without a guided tour! I love doing that, even if I’m more interested in architecture and lifestyle than in the politics of those times!! 🙂

Around the World, Week by Week: Turkey by gingerlemonandspice

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey by gingerlemonandspice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well the Republik of Turkey as it is called today was only founded 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, how also was the first president. Until today he is adored by many and you can find his statues and picture everywhere, some men even have tattoes on their arms or cars of his name and signature! 🙂

Most of the people in this country are Turks, but there is also a minority group called the Kurds. Most of the people have Turkish as their mother tounge and their money is the Turkish Lira. The weather varies very strongly in the different parts of the country; it can get really cold like -40°C (-40°F) in winter in some areas but also really hot in summers (always above 30°C/86°F).

So that’s enough of the formal stuff for me by now, I have some more pictures for you to click through to get your own view!

If you got any questions about Turkey or my stay there, or made your own experiences just leave a comment below!! I would love to read about it!!

 

Now on to the food: Meat balls (in Turkish Köfte) can be found in many variations in the Turkish Cuisine. It might even be that every family does them a bit different! What I have here is a very classic recipe for Köfte that can be fryed in a pan or better grilled on a charcoal barbecue!

They are accompanied by the traditional yoghurt dip with cucumbers and garlic called Cacık. It goes with a lot of dishes and can also be found on a Meze (Appetizer) Table! Also I have some rice for you called Pirinç Pilavı. Like with the meatballs there are so many ways of preparing this!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı by gingerlemonandspice

 

I found all the recipes for these in one of my favorite cookbooks, ‘Sofralar’ by Orhan Tançgil of the blog ‘KochDichTürkisch’. They also have a lot of videos to the recipes on the blog, so even if you can’t speek German you might find something you like! Hop over and say hi from me!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı by gingerlemonandspice

Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A recipe for yummy turkish meat balls with rice and a yoghurt dip with cucumbers and garlic!
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Turkish
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
Köfte
  • 500g mixed minced meat (lamb and beef)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 slices of stale white bread
  • 1 egg
  • 1 handfull of parsley
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • pepper, pul biber spice (chili flakes)
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • oil for frying
Pirinç Pilavı
  • 60g butter
  • a small handfull of soup noodles (şehriye)
  • 1 cup of rice, washed in a sieve
  • 2 cups of water or chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
Cacık
  • 250g süzme yoğurt (turkish yoghurt with 10% fat)
  • 5 tablespoons milk
  • 2 small turkish cucumbers or 1 usual
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 handfull of fresh dill
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pepper, pul biber spice (chili flakes)
  • olive oil
Instructions
Köfte Mix
  1. Start bei preparing the mixture for the Köfte. Just put the meat, the finally chopped onion and parsley, the spices, the egg, the olive oil and the pressed garlic in a big bowl. Cut the bread in small chunks and add to the bowl too.
  2. Now mix very well! It works best if you use your hands. Form small balls and pat them down flat and set aside on a plate or chopping board. Use wet hands while forming the Köfte so that the mixture doesn't stick to your fingers!
Pirinç Pilavı
  1. Melt butter on a pot on the stove on high heat and add the noodles. Fry and stir well until they get a golden color. Then add the rice and fry for 2-3 minutes more.
  2. Pour water or stock in and add the spices. Stir once then cover with the lid and wait until the water boils.
  3. Turn the heat down to very low for about 15 minutes then turn it off and let the pot just sit where it is. The rice will soak up more of the moisture and will get done without sticking to the bottom with this method.
Frying the Köfte
  1. Meanwhile heat one or two big pans and add some frying oil. You don't need much as the meat releases some fat as well. About one tablespoon for each pan! Put the meatballs into the pan and fry them on medium heat until they are half through then turn around and do the other side. It is even better when you have a charcoal barbecue and grill them there! You can also bake them in the oven on 200°C for about 25 minutes if you want to retain some fat. But that's not the most typical way 😉
Cacık
  1. Mix yoghurt and milk in a bowl with an egg whisk until smooth. Chop the cucumbers as finely as you can or grate them. But on the secon method make sure to press some of the water out!
  2. Add the cucumber, the spices (minus the chili), the finely chopped dill and pressed garlic to the bowl and mix well. Taste and reseason as you like.
  3. Pour the Cacık in a nice bowl and decorate with olive oil, chili and some dill sprinkles!
Notes
The cumin spice is essential for the typical taste in the Turkish Cuisine! Don't miss it!

Around The World, Week by Week: Turkey - Köfte, Cacık & Pirinç Pilavı by gingerlemonandspice

Afiyet olsun!! – Enjoy your meal!

 

Here are the other recipes I shared during this series:

An Introduction to the new series

Appetizer – Sigara Böreği

Dessert – Künefe

Drink – Ayran

Salad – Kısır

Pastry – Kurabiye

Snack/Fast Food – Lahmacun

Guest Post – Acılı Ezme

 

~ Kathrin