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Istanbul And Beyond: Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey
The most extensive and lushly photographed Turkish cookbook to date, by two internationally acclaimed experts
Standing at the crossroads between the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia, Turkey boasts astonishingly rich and diverse culinary traditions. Journalist Robyn Eckhardt and her husband, photographer David Hagerman, have spent almost twenty years discovering the country’s very best dishes. Now they take readers on an unforgettable epicurean adventure, beginning in Istanbul, home to one of the world’s great fusion cuisines. From there, they journey to the lesser-known provinces, opening a vivid world of flavors influenced by neighboring Syria, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, and Georgia.
From village home cooks, community bakers, café chefs, farmers, and fishermen, they have assembled a broad, one-of-a-kind collection of authentic, easy-to-follow “The Imam Fainted” Stuffed Eggplant; Pillowy Fingerprint Flatbread; Pot-Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions; Stovetop Lamb Meatballs with Spice Butter; Artichoke Ragout with Peas and Favas; Green Olive Salad with Pomegranate Molasses; Apple and Raisin Hand Pies. Many of these have never before been published in English.
Standing at the crossroads between the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Asia, Turkey boasts astonishingly rich and diverse culinary traditions. Journalist Robyn Eckhardt and her husband, photographer David Hagerman, have spent almost twenty years discovering the country’s very best dishes. Now they take readers on an unforgettable epicurean adventure, beginning in Istanbul, home to one of the world’s great fusion cuisines. From there, they journey to the lesser-known provinces, opening a vivid world of flavors influenced by neighboring Syria, Iran, Iraq, Armenia, and Georgia.
From village home cooks, community bakers, café chefs, farmers, and fishermen, they have assembled a broad, one-of-a-kind collection of authentic, easy-to-follow “The Imam Fainted” Stuffed Eggplant; Pillowy Fingerprint Flatbread; Pot-Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions; Stovetop Lamb Meatballs with Spice Butter; Artichoke Ragout with Peas and Favas; Green Olive Salad with Pomegranate Molasses; Apple and Raisin Hand Pies. Many of these have never before been published in English.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published October 10, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 24, 2017
9/10 Tested recipes for this book and already pre-ordered! Can't wait for the October release!
10/21 The cookbook finally arrived! Prior to publication, I tested recipes for kete (p.93), kule (p.92) and eggplant pickles (p.156). Below is an ongoing list of recipes we've tried since the book was published.
Mercimek corbasi (p.43) - This recipe is very similar to the recipe I typically use. The only differences are that this one calls for 1/2 cup more lentils, butter instead of oil, and no salca. The color is lighter without the salca, but the taste was excellent with a richer flavor due to the butter. I added more mint and pulbiber and served without the additional butter on top.
Yogurtlu mantar (p.111) - WOW! Absolutely delicious with the dill and yogurt! This will definitely become a mainstay on our table and could certainly pass the Turkish mother-in-law test. I used standard mushrooms, but if I was in Turkey, I'd opt for a mix of foraged mushrooms.
10/21 The cookbook finally arrived! Prior to publication, I tested recipes for kete (p.93), kule (p.92) and eggplant pickles (p.156). Below is an ongoing list of recipes we've tried since the book was published.
Mercimek corbasi (p.43) - This recipe is very similar to the recipe I typically use. The only differences are that this one calls for 1/2 cup more lentils, butter instead of oil, and no salca. The color is lighter without the salca, but the taste was excellent with a richer flavor due to the butter. I added more mint and pulbiber and served without the additional butter on top.
Yogurtlu mantar (p.111) - WOW! Absolutely delicious with the dill and yogurt! This will definitely become a mainstay on our table and could certainly pass the Turkish mother-in-law test. I used standard mushrooms, but if I was in Turkey, I'd opt for a mix of foraged mushrooms.
January 26, 2020
I have perused these recipes countless times since I picked this book up at the library. I must have put in 20 bookmarks for recipes I want to try. I have made 4 recipes and all were successful. All will be added to my regular repertoire as they were easy and yummy. I'll be looking for a copy of this book to permanently add to my shelves.
April 4, 2018
The photography in this cookbook is so breathtaking I would frame pages and hang them in my home. The recipes are also beautiful: many uses for grains and fish that were new to me, lots of bright tomato dishes and lovely breads. I am excited to try a few recipes soon.
January 26, 2020
A keeper. This is not my first foray into Turkish cuisine, but this is definitely the best and most wide-ranging I've had the pleasure of reading. I read this alongside my re-read of Istanbul: A Tale of Three Cities earlier this month which I loved doing.
It was interesting to read this cookbook alongside the cookbooks, Taste of Persia: A Cook's Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan and Morocco: A Culinary Journey with Recipes from the Spice-Scented Markets of Marrakech to the Date-Filled Oasis of Zagora, because each have distinctive cuisines yet also have some commonalities - Turkish cuisine is truly diverse, a mixture of Mediterranean and eastern cuisines, while still being very much its own unique cuisine. I found the journey with these books a real joy and warmly recommend them!
It was interesting to read this cookbook alongside the cookbooks, Taste of Persia: A Cook's Travels Through Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Kurdistan and Morocco: A Culinary Journey with Recipes from the Spice-Scented Markets of Marrakech to the Date-Filled Oasis of Zagora, because each have distinctive cuisines yet also have some commonalities - Turkish cuisine is truly diverse, a mixture of Mediterranean and eastern cuisines, while still being very much its own unique cuisine. I found the journey with these books a real joy and warmly recommend them!
November 6, 2017
This was so interesting and delicious. This is not the normal fair of food that I would normally pick however, I would love to try this food everything looked so eat-able. The culture and pictures for the actual country are beautiful. The recipes themselves I wish that there were way more pictures but there is a fair amount. Some recipes are intensive with many ingredients and steps while others are fun and simple. This would be a beautiful place to see. and eat your way through the country. This is well worth the look see.
June 21, 2018
Lovely cookbook with many (MANY) delicious dishes. I especially appreciate how the author recommends occasionally roasting eggplant rather than frying (we don't need all that oil, and the dishes still taste great.) And I was surprised to see so many recipes for corn! who knew? And ya gotta try the double-marinated chicken wings (they make a mess of your oven with a lot of spitting. I found I can roast them at a lower 425 and get the same results with less flying fat.) Either way, totally yummy with some salad, flatbread, and a nice big vegetable casserole.
December 21, 2018
I celebrate the cookbook ‘Istanbul & Beyond : Exploring the Diverse Cuisines of Turkey’ by the deeply-admired food writer Robyn Eckhardt. More than five years in the making, this cookbook not only makes me want to cook, but to also get in a car and get out there to explore Turkey, just as Robyn and her husband Dave Hagerman did in discovering and documenting recipes.
What a collaboration! Dave is an award-winning photographer and took all of the photos showcasing Anatolia and her food-ways that Robyn researched, tweaked and tested. You can follow Robyn on Twitter at @EatingAsia. You can follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveHagerman. On Twitter, they both share work they do on a regular basis for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and magazines like Saveur.
The cuisines of Turkey are among the finest in the world. Robyn has not only presented recipes that don’t intimidate, she has also focused on easily-accessible ingredients, and lovingly explained the regional culinary specializations of each area of Turkey.
Settle in an armchair and explore via superb descriptions and photos of the ancient multicultural area of Hatay, or the Armenian mezecis of Istanbul, or the Kurdish dishes from the Van area in far Eastern Turkey, plus other regions such as the Black Sea area.
What a collaboration! Dave is an award-winning photographer and took all of the photos showcasing Anatolia and her food-ways that Robyn researched, tweaked and tested. You can follow Robyn on Twitter at @EatingAsia. You can follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveHagerman. On Twitter, they both share work they do on a regular basis for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and magazines like Saveur.
The cuisines of Turkey are among the finest in the world. Robyn has not only presented recipes that don’t intimidate, she has also focused on easily-accessible ingredients, and lovingly explained the regional culinary specializations of each area of Turkey.
Settle in an armchair and explore via superb descriptions and photos of the ancient multicultural area of Hatay, or the Armenian mezecis of Istanbul, or the Kurdish dishes from the Van area in far Eastern Turkey, plus other regions such as the Black Sea area.
July 9, 2018
God, this is such a beautiful cookbook. I have a mild obsession with Turkey and Istanbul in general, so I had to get this book since with Erdogan in power, it's highly unlikely that I'd visit it anytime soon (crying because I can't see Hagia Sofia). There are so many beautiful recipes in here, covering several regions and specialities, most of which are simple yet special. I live in a mid-sized city and can find most of the ingredients, but they have some staple recipes in the back. But man, this is just a crystal of a book and I'm looking forward to being able to cook some of these things in my new kitchen.
October 11, 2019
I love this cookbook. I’ve borrowed, bought and cooked from a few other Turkish cookbooks but none of them were as unique and as interesting as this one. I’ve traveled extensively through Turkey and still, I learnt A LOT from this book. Each dish I’ve cooked from this book have been new-to-me. The recipes are thorough, easy to follow and the photos... they’re simply stunning. I use this book in the kitchen (often) and have it sitting on my coffee table to flick through and dream. Fabulous.
December 12, 2017
This is definitely a cookbook that will soon be marked with stains of grease and traces of flour. I have added several recipes to my new favorite dishes for everyday meals or treats to share at parties. The recipes are easy to follow and many of the ingredients are easy to get in almost any grocery store. The photographs are beautiful and breathtaking. I love it!
May 21, 2018
Not being well-traveled, I appreciate the photos and back stories that accompany many of the recipes. I am looking forward to trying out many of them. Although I'm not sure I can find all of the ingredients, I am sure that I can figure out a suitable substitution. Looking forward to cooking from this book.
February 22, 2018
I have followed this blog forever and love all of the posts. I'm happy they finally finished their cookbook. It's excellent and so beautifully illustrated. I only hope they do one on Asia next. Perhaps the cuisines of Malaysia.
April 11, 2018
Turkey has long been on my list for places to go, so this books about its regional cuisines was the perfect armchair visit.
The photography is beautiful and the commentary is so interesting. I acquired a few recipes too, naturally!
The photography is beautiful and the commentary is so interesting. I acquired a few recipes too, naturally!
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November 30, 2020Too many of the recipes require special ingredients. Especially right now, I don't want to search out something to try something we might not like...
I was reminded of several dishes though, so that's good
And the photos are fabulous
I was reminded of several dishes though, so that's good
And the photos are fabulous
October 10, 2019
Love this book about Turkish regional cuisine. Very versatile.
June 16, 2021
My love for visiting this beautiful country and its food remains the same and this is a gem !
March 11, 2023
This was sooo amazing! The photographs were beautiful and I loved reading about different cultural foods from Istanbul. Definitely made me intrigued to read more Turkish cookbooks
May 4, 2023
a beautiful cook book of the recipes and regions of turkey - although i am not sure I will end up coming back to any of these recipes.
July 12, 2019
BEST COOKBOOK EVER!!
October 10, 2019
My husband and I loved reading this book and preparing the recipes due to our love of Istanbul after a few visits and Turkish food in general. One thing that takes this book to the next level is the stunning photography that accompany the recipes!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews