What is Baklava?
Filed Under Food History, Recipes Greece, Turkey
What is Baklava? Baklava is a traditional dessert from the eastern Mediterranean basin, and is especially prevalent in Greece and Turkey, but also the Caucuses and the Middle East. There is no consensus about where or when it originated, but some date it back almost 3000 years! The ingredients can change slightly, but they always include phyllo (or filo) sheets, chopped nuts, some type of sweet syrup, and some type… Read
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Iconic Desserts from Europe
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History France, Greece, Portugal, Turkey
This week we're featuring some iconic desserts that you can learn to make on our cooking vacations in Europe. These are some of the tastiest of the dishes you'll eat, preferably paired with a delicious local wine that can balance out the sweetness of these dessert recipes. Of course, there are far too many to feature in only one blog, so check back later this week for more! France The… Read
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Ancient Sites to Visit Around the World
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips Croatia, Greece, Peru, Turkey, Vietnam & Cambodia
One of the most awe-inspiring things to see when traveling the globe on a culinary tour are ancient sites that have stood the test of time (in some way or another). They're also sites that you truly can't see anywhere else in the world. While our cooking vacations are very much focused on food and cooking, naturally, we also love the draw of stepping into the past and experiencing these… Read
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Turkish Coffee and Tea
Filed Under Food History, Travel Tips Turkey
Turkish coffee is famous, but have you heard of Turkish tea? What makes them so distinctive, and is there more than one way to prepare them? We tackle these questions and more in today's blog, which is all about Turkey's two most famous hot beverages. Check out all our culinary tours in Turkey. Turkish Coffee Turkish coffee is quite simply just a way of preparing coffee. The beans are… Read
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Food & Wine Tours: Winemaking in Turkey
Filed Under Destination Features, Travel Tips, Wines & Spirits Turkey
Turkey is a land of contradictions - perhaps to be expected in a country that divides East from West, Asia from Europe. This vibrant land's amazing contradictions can be found also in the wine culture. Although technically secular, the country's strong Islamic presence means that a culture of winemaking is lacking. And yet many modern Turks drink. While experts think that winemaking may have originated in what is now eastern… Read
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Street Food in Istanbul
Filed Under Destination Features, Food History, Travel Tips Turkey
Many of the world's largest cities share a culture of street food, where local vendors on public streets sell traditional, usually portable dishes that can be eaten on the fly. Think hotdogs in New York, tamales in Chicago, "pizza al taglio" in Rome, or "poutine" in Quebec. Turkey, where east literally meets west, has a street food scene so rich and complex it is hard to sum up, especially as… Read
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