Jason Goodwin's Blog: Talking Turkey, page 2

selling out

When a book sells out, and it’s your book, which means they liked it, you may well want to punch the air, or kiss a policeman, or whatever. I think you are allowed. Just don’t kiss the air and punch a policeman, that’s all. But then, when an ENTIRE COUNTRY sells out of your book, you […]

Thanksgiving turkey Ottoman style

Yashim's Ottoman turkey stuffing

Yashim Cooks Istanbul Storms US Charts!

You may imagine how thrilled I was to wake up to a fabulous piece about Yashim’s cook book on America’s number one radio show, Morning Edition. They gave it the great title: “Popular Detective Series Gets Its Own Cookbook” which is succinct, accurate and somehow funny. Very professional. We did the interview about a month back, with […]

Publication Day

I remember the day I found myself crouched over a saucepan by the back window, camera in hand, prodding a rocket leaf with a chopstick. Behind me, a chorus of angry children demanded their lunch while it was still hot. I fiddled with exposures. I zoomed back and forth with the focus. I turned the […]

Autumn falls – and Ottomans cook!

Walking today in the woods, the first fallen leaves rustling underfoot, made me long for a fire – and a taste of this slightly smoky dip taken, of course, from Yashim’s new cook book. Aubergine (or eggplant) puree patlican salatası A classic Ottoman meze, absolutely worth doing whenever you fire up a charcoal grill. Unlike the […]

Gliding down the Bosphorus

I’m often asked to name my favourite place in Istanbul.   It isn’t a place, at all: it’s a passage, or a vantage point, or an adventure, with deep dark waters under the keel, and spray at the prow, and a briny bench – and a glass of tea. It’s a trip on the Bosphorus. About  fourteen […]

Yashim Steps Out

Picture the scene: I assemble a hundred or so of my closest friends and relations, along with the great and the good of Fleet Street, Grub Street and the BBC, hire splendid Georgian rooms in Fitzroy Square, lay on everlasting fizz, engage professional belly dancers...

Yashim’s cookbook available to pre-order!

YASHIM COOKS ISTANBUL is on its way!

Istanbul: behind the headlines

Sometimes you can step behind the barrage of news, like stepping into that calm secret place behind a waterfall. Take stroll around Istanbul, as I’ve been doing these last few days. Have a glass of pickle juice at the pickle shop – very good for the stomach. Take a wander through the fish market, where we […]

Ottoman London

A guided tour of Ottoman London