A Trip to Sariyer Weekly Farmer's Market

So my friend and colleague, Nick, has been telling me about the weekly Sariyer farmer's market.  Now I am a huge fan of farmers markets, regularly buying produce/bread at the Dupont farmer's market (on Sunday mornings) in d.c., so of course I had to go to my new neighborhood farmers market.

mmmmm tomatoes

I should admit that I have been to other districts' markets since relocating to Istanbul - not out of intentional betrayal to my own Sariyer market, but through purely stumbling across various markets (Besiktas, Istinye - both rather designer-y).

Our own Sariyer market is less posh, thankfully, and has just the right amount of variety of goods without being as overwhelming as, say, the Grand Bazaar. 

As you can see from the photos, Sariyer market (like all other markets here) has a lot of fresh produce.  Veggies include: eggplant (patlacan), carrots, tomatoes, corn (corn is like a fast food here, with corn on the cob stands on street-corners), potatoes, red and green peppers, cabbage, onions, green onions, zucchini, pumpkin, etc. Fruits you will find are: lemons, apples, bananas, pomegrantes (they have light pink ones here that are ten times sweeter than those you find in the states), peaches, small and tart oranges. 

Things you will not find: cilantro! :(

patlacan!  (eggplant...my favorite)

veggies!

The markets also have a plethora of nuts (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, hazelnuts are very popular) and dried fruit (apricots, raisins of all different shapes and sizes, cranberries, mangoes, pineapples, papayas, dates, wheat berries, figs).

mini cucumbers and enormous cabbage

pumpkin!  or the closest thing to pumpkin

Like in any foreign country you go to, the things you will find are similar, but slightly different than they are back home.  In Turkey, you'll find a lot of the same fruits and vegetables you would in the U.S., and most taste the same.  Some, however, are slightly, well, not "off", but just different!  For instance, the pumpkins you see in the photo above are not like the pumpkins you would find in the U.S. - when cooked they don't get mushy, but stay rather hard.  Instead of making tasty pies, the Turks will soak pumpkin slices in syrup (which is a very common way of preparing any dessert, to soak it in sugary syrup, delicious!) until the pumpkin is entirely saturated with gooey-goodness, and then maybe put some cream on top.  It's a great dessert!


I bought some of these potatoes for a Salad Nicoise



veggies

"buğrun buğrun"

doing business

One thing that always strikes me here is abundance of food.  Not only are there pide shops (with bread and pasty products) everywhere - and I mean everywhere! - but shops here go against the American idea of staking out a spot of their own, instead similar shops will congregate together, with the idea that people will come to the "dried fruit and nut" area and the business will eventually even out.  Shopkeepers will even work together and give one another business, if they don't have what a customer is looking for - it's all part of a strongly-held value of community, that is visible in many other parts of society.

so many mushrooms

a fruit section of the market

Last but not least, I wanted to show you all a "simit" stand.  Simit is like a thinner, more dense bagel, covered with sesame seeds.  Yet another example of the plethora of food being offered at every corner.  I have yet to buy one since being here this time, but I fully intend to pair one with lebnah, a yogurt-like cheese, akin to cream cheese - Turkish bagel and cream cheese!



simit, which is like a bagel with sesame seeds on it

That's all for now.