CULINARY TRADITIONS OF OTTOMAN ISTANBUL
Arif Bilgin2015, Antik Çağ'dan XXI. Yüzyıla Büyük İstanbul Tarihi
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Abstract
CULINARY TRADITIONS OF OTTOMAN ISTANBUL Despite the fact that Istanbul cuisine was a mixture of culinary tradi ons from almost all parts of the empire, it would be wrong to claim that it represented the ea ng habits of the whole imperial geography. Instead, this cuisine cons tuted the core of O oman cuisine, shaped by the various cultures that existed in the relevant geography. Thus, Istanbul cuisine would in fact define O oman cuisine. It would not be correct to present this amalgama on, which evolved from the richness of various cultures, as a dis nct cultural blend with no iden ty. We can conveniently define this culinary culture, created from the impact of very different regional cuisines in the O oman capital throughout the centuries, as a cuisine belonging to this city. Generally speaking, despite its interac on with other cuisines, the cuisine of Istanbul was mostly authen c. This study aims to define the Turkish culinary tradi on in Istanbul, which would become the dominant element of the city following its conquest in 1453 by the O oman Turks. In the O oman capital, along with Turkish cuisine, the culinary cultures of various ethnic and religious groups con nued to exist, along with their dis nct culinary habits. For instance, the cuisines of the religious communi es-although having menus and table arrangements resembling those of Turkish communi es in various regions of the empire-reflected their own tradi ons in Istanbul. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE Turkish culinary culture in Istanbul was an extension of Turkish cuisine, which changed and developed from Inner Asia to Anatolia. In other words, this culture included elements of Turkish cuisine in Inner Asia, but developed mostly during the process of migra ons and eventually matured in Anatolia. The ea ng habits of the Turks in Inner Asia were quite plain. The menu, composed of meat, milk, dairy products, and maize (a type of wheat), reflected the ea ng habits of almost all nomadic Turks. One of the main factors in the change from this old Turkish cuisine, which did not include vegetables or fruits, was the adop on of Islam and a sedentary lifestyle by the Turks. Produc on and consump on of grains, vegetables, and fruits began to develop among sedentary groups. Furthermore, Islam encouraged a sedentary lifestyle, which reinforced this change. It should be noted, however, that not all Turkish communi es adopted this agrarian, sedentary lifestyle. The second important change in O oman culinary culture came as a result of migra ons. Turks learned new meal types in the influen al cultural regions through which they passed or stayed for a while during migra ons beginning in the tenth century. As a result they began to make room in their cuisines for fruits and vegetables. This process of change was probably slow during the periods of the Qarakhanids, Ghaznavids, and Great Seljuks. Data on the Seljuks demonstrate that in that period Turkish cuisine had begun to make use of various grains, fruits, vegetables, and even some spices. Thus, it is understood that the Turkish culinary culture of Anatolia con nued to change during this period, but the comple on date of this transforma on cannot be clearly determined. Incidentally, it should be noted that O oman cuisine featured regular consump on of grain, meat, milk and dairy products, vegetables, fruits, spices and a variety of other food products. Thus, by the fi eenth century at the latest, the O omans were enjoying a varied and healthy cuisine. On this point, it is important to ask to what extent O oman cuisine was affected by Byzan ne cuisine. Would it not have been possible for Turkish communi es living with Greeks in different regions of Anatolia to adopt some of their culinary habits? Would it have been possible for a na on, which conquered the capital of Byzan um and made it their own imperial capital, to resist the impact of its culinary culture? These ques ons have both posi ve and nega ve answers. It is quite natural for two socie es living together to interact. However, in the field of culinary culture, where transforma on is a slow process, long-term interac on was necessary for fundamental changes to take place. Thus, the culinary culture of the Turks in both Anatolia and Istanbul was affected by the Byzan nes only
