Bereketli İmparatorluk: Osmanlı Mutfağı Tarihi

by Priscilla Mary Işın, Ahmet Fethi Yıldırım (Translator)

Türk mutfağı üzerine çalışmalarıyla tanınan araştırmacı Priscilla Mary Işın’ın bu kitabı, Osmanlı İmparatorluğunun uzun tarihi boyunca değişen, gelişen ve kendini sürekli yenilemeyi başaran yemek kültürü üzerinde duruyor. Orta Asya Türkleri, Abbasiler, Selçuklular ve Bizanslılar gibi Osmanlı mutfağının temelini oluşturan değişik yeme-içme geleneklerine genel bir bakışla başlayan kitap, bu zengin mutfak kültürünün etrafını saran adab-ı muaşeret kurallarına, aşçılara, lokantalara, kanunlara ve gıda ticaretine de yer vererek okurlarına panoramik bir bakış kazandırıyor. Arşiv belgelerinden şiirlere dek altı yüzden fazla birincil ve ikincil kaynaktan yararlanan ve yüz yirmi renkli görselle okurlarına canlı bir manzara sunan Bereketli İmparatorluk: Osmanlı Mutfağı Tarihi, bize, Osmanlı mutfak kültürünün, farklı toplumsal kesimlerin birikimini bir araya getirerek sosyal kimliğin inşasına katkı sağladığı mesajını veriyor.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Food

360 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2020

Reviews

[Ekim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book because I failed at finding any Turkish books of Mary Işın. I have already known her works from other scholars working in the same field. However, reading Işın's work added so much depth to my understanding of the topic.

The book is divided into many subcategories allowing you to study specific areas. Since the book involves translations of meals, ingredients, equipment and professionals, it functions as a form of a terminology handbook as well.

[Cosmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing, delicious, interesting...

[Rhianwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book.

But for someone unfamiliar with Turkish cuisine (modern or Ottoman) it might be quite hard going. A huge amount of research has gone into this and the book expects you to be able to keep up with the terms and names of the dishes without repeating itself endlessly.

Half a star off for the abrupt and rather depressing finish to the book.

[Bilge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kolay ve anlasilir bir sekilde yazilmis iyi bir inceleme kitabi. Ama bazi bölümlerde tarafli olundugu, Osmanli yardimseverliginin abartildigi düsünüyorum. Tarihteki hicbir imparatorluk mükemmel degildi ve bu objektif bir sekilde yansitilabilir. Ama büyük olasilik bu sekilde yazilsaydi basim ve satis ile ilgili sorunlar yasayabilirdi.

[Alia Amir · Rating 5 out of 5]

The history of Ottoman Cuisine couldn't have gotten anything better than this! Mary Işın takes you by the hand and delves into the delicious history of Ottoman Cuisine!

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down the single best book on the history of Ottoman cuisine. I have read many books written by modern Turkish scholars, but they are often circular, each quoting each other, and making the same comments repeatedly. They are useful but fail to discuss the influences of the variety of ethnic and religious populations in the Ottoman capitals and other regions. The authors are clearly constraining themselves to the governmental line.

Mary's book is not constrained by Turkish nationalism. This is not a cookbook, although it has an occasional recipe. Rather, it honestly discusses Turkic, Jewish, Byzantine, Christian, Persian, and other influences on the development of cuisine in the Ottoman Empire over the many centuries of its existence. It includes information on the changing array of ingredients, dining etiquette, the effects of uprisings within the empire on the availability of foods, and governmental controls related to food. It is beautifully illustrated in color with Ottoman art, photographs, and illustrations by Europeans who visited the Empire. Very highly recommended.