Turkey: More Than 100 Recipes With Tales from the Road

by Leanne Kitchen

Turkey's culinary customs are as rich and varied as its landscape, and award-winning food writer Leanne Kitchen does justice to them both with more than 170 glorious photographs of the country's foods and people that make readers want to drop everything and board the next plane. More than 100 recipes from across seven diverse regions—including the narrow streets of Istanbul, a fishing village on the Aegean, and the sheep-lined roads near Lake Van—showcase the best of Turkish cuisine. Comforts of the countryside and delicacies from the Ottoman Court span every course, from simple meze dishes such as spiced lentil köfte to sophisticated rose and pistachio sweetmeats for dessert. This enduring travelogue makes a perfect gift for ambitious cooks and armchair travelers alike.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Travel, Reference, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2011

Reviews

[Mohon Ali · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

**A Beautiful Journey Through Turkey’s Rich Culinary Traditions**

★★★★★

*Turkey: More than 100 Recipes, with Tales from the Road* is a wonderful celebration of Turkish cuisine, culture, and the stories that make food so meaningful. What makes this book especially appealing is the way it brings together delicious recipes and a sense of discovery, inviting readers to experience Turkey beyond the kitchen.

The collection offers an enticing introduction to the country’s diverse culinary traditions, from comforting home-style dishes to vibrant flavors inspired by regional ingredients and local customs. The combination of recipes and travel stories gives the book a personal touch, making it feel like an invitation to explore bustling markets, family tables, and the distinctive food cultures found throughout Turkey.

I particularly appreciate how a cookbook like this can inspire both everyday cooking and more adventurous culinary experiments. It encourages readers to try unfamiliar ingredients, discover new flavor combinations, and understand the cultural connections behind traditional dishes. The storytelling also adds depth, transforming the experience from simply following recipes into learning about the people and places that shape Turkish food.

Whether you already love Turkish cuisine or are just beginning to explore it, this book is an inspiring addition to any cookbook collection. It offers a satisfying blend of culinary exploration, cultural appreciation, and practical inspiration. A delightful read for anyone who believes that discovering a country through its food is one of the most rewarding ways to travel.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

mouth watering recipes a wide range that allowed me to see a wide range of foods from this country.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a stunningly beautiful cookbook. The photos alone are worth the purchase. My only quibble is that there is not more food history as part of the book. There were many recipes with foreign names which were not explained. I would have preferred more history since this cuisine is rather unusual. Otherwise it is a great cookbook, the recipes are not terribly complicated and you have the most gorgeous photos to drool over.

I had no idea how much food plays a part in Turkish society. They eat well and healthy. I have put Istanbul on the list of places I would love to visit and I am very interested in the cuisine more than ever now (I am a meze fool).

Truthfully I could have used about 50 percent more history and food lore along with the fabulous photos and recipes.

Just an idea for the author's next book. I'd love the same format for other countries too.

Oh and I made a number of dishes and they came out terrific. I stuck to the most basic dishes for meze and was thrilled with the results.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, if not quite useable, cookbook that takes readers on a journey through Turkey. The ingredients seem esoteric, but if you like reading about food and don't mind that you won't be able to make every recipe in the book, then it serves its purpose. Nicely done are the food pairings and the author's personal take on aspects of Turkish food culture--especially evocative are the sections about gathering "weeds" that are actually wild versions of familiar greens and the women's community tradition of making enough pastry dough to last the year. Again, unless you have access to a wide range of fresh ingredients, including seafood, and live near a well-stocked Turkish grocer, some of these recipes might be difficult to replicate accurately and without inventive or substandard substitution, but as a book of recipes that show the wide range of flavors, textures, and techniques of Turkish cooking, it works well.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly beautiful book--the photos are amazing. I like the "food reporting" from around the country as well. The recipes look delicious--too many specialty ingredients for me to make in small town Middle America, perhaps, but still, they look wonderful.

[Tracy]

Lots of the recipes sound tasty! Withholding a rating until I try cooking some because look like they'll be a pain in the ass to make ;) Plenty of veg and fish recipes, but also a lot of meat if you're into that kind of thing.

[Ozlem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent cookbook with very genuine insights from the streets and some good recipes. We have tried "pide" which worked very well. Fantastic lively pictures. Love it!

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to try the Topik, Lahmacun, and the Katmer recipes.

[Susie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the photos of Turkey in this cookbook and a few of the recipes look really good:

Cheese and potato filo rolls
Classic Manti
Perde Pilave