How to Have a Turkish Breakfast

Turkish breakfast is a lovely combination of food groups, fresh and cooked, with warm and cool ingredients. There are variations regionally and seasonally, but this recipe reflects the simple but fabulous breakfasts one can experience in places such as Istanbul.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fresh bread, usually white
• Butter
• Preserve like marmalade or jam
• Eggs
• Goat or sheeps milk cheese, raw if possible
• Fresh tomato
• Fresh cucumber
• Olives
• Clementines or other fresh fruit
• Salt and pepper
• Coffee or tea
• Basket with napkins
• Cutting board and knife
• Cups, plates and butter knives
• Small pot with lid

1. Begin hard-boiling your eggs The best way to do this is to place one egg per person in the small pot covered completely with water. Bring the eggs to a boil. When they have boiled for two minutes, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Peel a clementine for every person or so (if you prefer, substitute a different type of fresh fruit). Slice the cucumber, tomato, and bread (a few slices of each vegetable per person, plus a generous amount of bread).
3. Line the basket with a napkin. Most of the elements of a Turkish breakfast are arranged individually on each person's plate, but the bread slices are served warm, in the basket for everyone to share.
4. Arrange the clementine wedges or other fresh fruit on each plate, plus several slices each of tomato and cucumber, and small dishes containing a few olives, a spoonful or so of preserves, a generous pat of butter and a few slices or a small block of fresh cheese.
5. When the eggs have finished resting, remove them from the pan and run them under cold water until they feel cool. Peel them immediately and add one to each plate, whole.
6. Serve the coffee and/or tea in very small cups, hot and plain. Provide sugar cubes as an optional sweetener.
7. Serve the plates with the bread basket, salt and pepper on the table. Enjoy!

Tips & Warnings

• If you do not have fresh baked bread, try warming your bread in an oven at a low temperature.
• Traditional Turkish breakfasts may also include cold meat such as sausage, but this is less common than the ingredients listed above.
• Feel free to make seasonal or regional variations.