The Ambassador Togan Oral of Turkey hosted Saturday, 28 May, in his residence the presentation of the Turkish Cuisine Week.
Turkish Cuisine Week is marked every year in 81 provinces of Turkey and Turkish missions all over the world.
The culinary event is organized under the patronage of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and under the leadership of the President’s wife Mrs.Emine Erdogan. She also announced that 21-27 May will be celebrated as Turkish Cuisine Week annually.
Mrs.Emine Erdogan is the author of the book “Turkish cuisine with Centennial Recipes”. The cookbook was prepared with the participation of chefs, scientists and experts from all over the country.
“One of the symbols of Turkish culture, which has always been famous for its hospitality, is Turkish cuisine. Turkish cuisine symbolizes the spirit of community and solidarity. In the modern world, where events such as difficulties or a pandemic quickly isolate people, Turkish cuisine, which is a great treasure with a centuries-old history and the embodiment of hospitality and generosity, used at holidays, weddings and funerals, is known for lifting spirits, helping to ease difficulties, bringing people closer together,” the Ambassador Togan Oral said in his welcome speech.
As the Ambassador stressed, “The culture of Turkish cuisine bears traces of ancient civilizations of Anatolia; the eating habits of Turks who migrated from Central Asia to Anatolia since the 11th century. The cuisine of the Anatolian Seljuks and the Ottoman Cuisine formed the main elements of today’s Turkish cuisine.”
Perhaps the most common manifestation of common history and culture between Turkmen and Turkish peoples are dishes such as yogurt, thin flatbread, basturma and berek, which are considered to have been first prepared by Turks from Central Asia.
Many goodies, such as baklava, dolma, sarma, kebab, pilaf, berek, halva, doner, yogurt, lokum and coffee, are the heritage of Turkish cuisine, which is still consumed in neighboring regions.
Turkey has accepted all religious confessions, races and cultures throughout its history. This multiculturalism can be seen in Turkish dishes. For example, dishes such as “Damascus dessert”, “Albanian liver – Arnavutdzhigeri”, “Tatar pastries”, “Pastoral stew”, “Chicken Circassian” were accepted without changing the name, Togan Oral noted.
Speaking about the careful attitude to food, the Ambassador stressed: “The basic principles of cooking in Turkish cuisine carry the philosophy of using products that nature gives us. “Whoever eats while his neighbor is starving is not one of us!” is the concept with which we were brought up. Being a generation brought up by this concept, just like our elders, we use every piece of food in the kitchen with care, creativity and respect for nature, whether vegetables, fruits or meat.”
Then, the guests listened to the video message of Mrs.Emine Erdogan. She said: “At a time when the culture of fast food is spreading in the world, the world especially needs Turkish recipes of various dishes that have absorbed medicinal properties. In this regard, the book “Turkish cuisine with Centennial Recipes” is a step towards revealing our great wealth to the world.”
The first lady of Turkey expressed confidence that the Turkish culture of cooking, which perceives food as a blessing without wasting a single piece, will serve as a guide in the search for the return of humanity to its essence.
Here are some photos from the event:
///nCa, 29 May 2022 (in cooperation with Turkish Cultural Center in Ashgabat)