Sifir Bir (01) is a popular TV series that is set in Adana. Tales of drive-by shootings, drugs and violence in the street capture audiences both in Turkey and outside the country. 01 represents the license plate of Adana, and Adana represents the idea of a dangerous place in people's minds here in Istanbul. But the town that - in food terms - lends its name to the spicier version of the two most popular kebabs based on mince that has been hand-cut (Urfa being the milder version), is also connected to freshly friend sweets swathed in syrup. Halka can be found all over Istanbul, a quick sweet bite, sold cheaply from street carts. Burma is a very similar idea, and to be honest, I'm not too sure about their exact difference. It will probably take another round of testing, eating them side-by-side. (It's not an easy life being a food blogger in Turkey). Yet other variations are Tulumba, and then there are walnut variations like taş kadayıf. This shop is located in Fatih. I passed by mid-afternoon, and there was very frantic frying going on. The wares went out the door like the proverbial hot chips. As I smelled the waft of hot oil and sugar, I vowed to abstain. "You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin' to?" They must have. A few minutes later I held a sugary kringel-thing in my hand, encased by some paper. "A bit of a sugar hit to help me walk back" was the excuse. And with that evidence I join in the popular opinions on Adana being a hotbed of danger: it comes in a few shapes and sizes, and is always lavishly dipped into sugar syrup.
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AuthorInnate curiosity, learned (discovered) deep love and appreciation for Turkey, a bit of time at my hands, and always hungry: voila, a food blogger! Archives
September 2019
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