We decided to visit the “farmers market” in Nevşehir, Cappadocia. This was a really large market. Usually the market is one long aisle, here it was at least 5×5 aisles, coverering a small city block. Farmers markets are called Pazar in Turkish. More and more Turks seek out organic and sustainably farmed foods for the sake of their family’s health and the health of the planet. Farmers markets in Cappadocia include: Saturdays in Ürgüp, Sundays and Mondays in Nevşehir, Wednesdays in Göreme, Fridays in Avanos. The term “farmers market” in Turkey assumes a new level of interest, with live chicks, goslings and rabbits in addition to spices and exotic fruits and vegetables. Street markets in Turkey are one of the greatest pleasures and attractions for locals and for tourists, with their bright colors and delicious mingled scents. The herb and spices stalls always attract me by the wonderful glowing rich colors of paprika, cumin, saffron, cloves, mustard seeds, fenugreek, cardamom and ginger and their heady, enticing fragrances. Strings of dried vegetables and innumerable fresh fruits and vegetables are on artistic displays.
Balıkçı Sabahattin Restaurant. Istanbul, Turkey
While we were in Istanbul, a friend who lives there invited us out to eat at his favorite seafood restaurant. Balıkçı Sabahattin is housed in a wonderfully restored Ottoman mansion constructed in 1927, nestled behind Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque on a quiet side street in the Sultanahmet. It started off more than 40 years ago as a small fish shack and has since developed a reputation as one of Istanbul’s top seafood restaurants, popular among both Turks and foreigners. It is still a family-run business, handed down from the original owner Fisherman Sabahattin. The space is decorated with colorful kilims and plants, giving the impression of dining in a cheerful family dining room. A delicious range of cold and warm starters, salads, and fish are available, to be rounded off with light deserts and drinks. The menu leans more towards seafood than fish – octopus, mussels, prawns, and calamari are served alongside a select range of fish, which are priced by weight.