• Dried apricot (Kayısı)
• Dried fig (incir)
• Hazelnut (fındık)
• Pistachio (antep fıstığı)
• Almond (badem)
• An idea of ​​a dish to mix it all up

Dried Fruits

The dried fruit market represents four billion dollars (turnover) each year, including three billion exports. The annual production is 550 thousand tonnes, 90% of which is consumed in Turkey, which represents seven kilograms per capita and per year. Some fruits are naturally dry, but others are sometimes subjected to drying. Their reputation has spread far beyond national borders and Turkey exports worldwide. Here is some information about five dried fruits: apricot, fig, hazelnut, pistachio, and finally almond.

Dried apricot (Kayısı)

Malatya, a region in the south-east of the country, is famous for its apricot production. In the absence of developed tourist activity, this arid, almost desert region is home to many orchards that the Euphrates irrigates. The country is the leading producer and exporter of dried apricots and dried figs (as well as raisins. The leading importers of Turkish apricots are the United States (15,042 tonnes), Russia (15,326 tonnes), Germany (8,587 tonnes), France (7,643 tonnes), and the United Arab Emirates (7,151 tonnes). The five of them represent more than 50% of exports. Rich in antioxidant vitamin A, iron, and potassium, eating apricots reduces the risk of hypertension by stabilizing blood pressure.

Dried fig (incir)

It comes mainly from Bursa, Izmir, and especially from Aydın, on the Aegean coast in western Turkey. Turkey produced approximately 76.9 tons of dried figs between September 2013 and October 2014, with revenues of $253.2 million. According to several studies, the presence of antioxidants and fiber reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes (type 2). The dried fig also contains vitamins A, K, B1, and B5 and minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron.

Hazelnut (fındık)

It is mainly produced on the Black Sea coast, in the north of Turkey, such as in the town of Akça Koca. The region benefits from a reasonably mild winter season and a cool summer, ideal for hazelnut cultivation. Turkey is the world’s largest producer, thanks to the region’s hot and humid climate. In 2013, 276 thousand tons of hazelnuts were produced, for a revenue of 1.73 billion dollars. The cultivation of hazelnuts provides a livelihood for about two million people in Turkey. This fruit is known for its ability to reduce the risk of contracting cardiovascular disease and diabetes (type 2). Hazelnut has recognized antioxidant benefits. It also contains various nutrients such as copper, vitamins E, B6 and B1, magnesium, and iron.

Pistachio (antep fıstığı)

Turkey is the third largest producer of pistachios in the world. Gaziantep, in the south-east of the country near the Syrian border, is known for the quality of these fruits. The dry climate of the region is ideal for their cultivation. In 2013, the country exported 6,800 tonnes of pistachio nuts, generating a revenue of $80 million (according to the South East Anatolia Export Union). The Turkish pistachio is known to be small in size but very sweet, even fruity. The fruit provides nutrients such as protein, fiber, minerals (potassium and phosphorus), and many vitamins (B6, E, K, etc.). Consuming 50 to 80 grams of pistachio each day would have beneficial effects in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases such as LDL cholesterol.

Turkey has announced that it intends to build the first city in the country to be heated with pistachio nuts! The site planned for this “premiere” is about ten kilometers from Gaziantep, and is said to affect some 200,000 people. The pistachio shell could become the environmentalists’ best friend.

Almond (badem)

The city of Datça, in the extreme southwest of Turkey, is known to host the Almond Festival during the summer. This event is an opportunity for producers to present their products. Turkey produces approximately 13,000 tonnes each year. Exports of the almond amount to 8,000 tons, which represents $65 million in revenues for the year 2013. Rich in vitamins E, B2 and B3, the almond also contains many trace elements and minerals (magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus). Rich in lipids and proteins, a small amount is enough to provide the body with a lot of energy. Several studies have proven that its consumption contributes to the reduction of LDL cholesterol.

One of the many legends surrounding the fine dough tells that it is said to have appeared in the eighth century in the East, where it was a popular harem sugar factory and was introduced to Europe in the 13th century by the Persians.

An idea of ​​a dish to mix it all up

Aşure is a Turkish dessert made of seeds, fruits, and nuts. It is a traditional dish and commemorates (according to the Bible) the day when Noah’s ark ran aground on Mount Ararat. It is prepared in large quantities, in large pots, and it is customary to offer it to friends, neighbors, and other relations as a sign of peace and respect. There is no specific recipe to prepare the aşure, the ingredients vary according to regions and families, but if you want to follow the tradition, dried fruits and nuts are not to be forgotten!

If you wish to buy dried fruits from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at  [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you with everything that you need.

The post Turkey: The “Passion” Of Dried Fruits! appeared first on Buyfromturkey.

Turkey is today the world’s 4th largest producer of table grapes.

Since Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country, alcohol use varies from culture to culture. On the other hand, the wine route in Turkey is also an important position.

Wine and religion

Much of the grape is used for other purposes, mostly religious reasons. The main wine producers in Turkey are located on the Gallipoli Peninsula, on the Aegean coast, in Central Anatolia – Cappadocia – and, for some, in the south-east of the country.

Turkish wine: a good quality

Turkish wine industry players speak of “excellent quality.” for some Turkish vintages. However, wine production remains marginal in a country where religion and political decisions influence the cultural development of drinking

Muslim country

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim country, and most Turks do not consume alcohol, which Islam considers “haram” (forbidden). But the country has a long wine-growing tradition, benefiting from an ideal climate for wine-growing. “The climate is very suitable, we have hot summers, humidity, so the plants are active and very happy,” says Mark Sims, the Australian manager of Suvla Vineyard, the leading wine producer on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Cappadocia: a wineland

It’s an unexpected Turkey, producing fruity wine. Between fairy chimneys and Byzantine remains, the Pink Valley in Cappadocia also offers perched vineyards, among the oldest in the world!

Adorned with this milky pink as soft to the eye as a baby’s skin, Cappadocia offers walkers its paths enameled with rocks sculpted by the elements, but also its Anatolian wine estates. For here, the first bunches of grapes hatched 4500 years ago, as in the Pink Valley, between the rock-cut cities of Göreme and Kaymakli. The caves dug in the mountains have served, and still serve, as caves. The wine is kept at constant temperature (between 8 and 10 ° C).

Atatürk encouraged wine production

Mistreated in the time of the sultans, the Turkish vineyard was finally replanted in the 1920s, with the encouragement of Atatürk, who saw it as a symbol of secularism. Turkey is today the 4th largest producer of table grapes in the world, but the 36th largest producer of wine (90 million bottles), as only 3% of the harvest is vinified. For some time now, exciting wines have emerged, produced in particular in the heart of the Anatolian steppe, between Cavusin, Avanos, and Uçhisar.  The vineyards, up to 1500 meters above sea level, are among the highest in the world. They endure harsh winters (-20°C) and no less severe summers (over 40°C). There are some 1500 local grape varieties, including the famous “Emir”, which gives a very floral white, or the “narince”, with citrus tones. As for the reds, they owe their strong flavor to oküzgözü (“ox-eye”).

The volcanic, clayey, sandy soil, on the bottom of limestone tuff, is a sponge and never lacks water. Also, everywhere ribbons of water gurgling, favoring tiny orchards with by vines. Early in the morning, peasants with their horses are busy on these small plots. Here, the man makes his table wine (and more often his vinegar) from giant vines, usually more than two hundred years old, since the region was spared from the terrible phylloxera, which decimated the western vineyards.

A fruity wine made from local grape varieties

So we taste this valley… pink, white and red on the wine side. “We do not know the appellation of controlled origin (AOC).  Here, the wines are sometimes still the fruit of curious blends. But it’s a practice that is disappearing,” says the cellar master of the Kavaklidere estate, founded in 1929. The largest private vineyard in the country covers 200 hectares, in Anatolia and beyond, in seven regions. You can taste its excellent ribs of Avanos aged in oak barrels, which are exported.

Another notable wine is Kocabag, in Uçhisar. It has been in existence since 1972, when the grandfather created a cellar in a cave. The wine is fruity and only made from local grape varieties grown on 30 hectares. Nearby, in Urgüp, the Turasan estate was founded in 1943 by a teacher who gave it his name. The technical director, Frenchman Edouard Guérin, obtained the patriarch’s confidence. He was able to delay the harvest and thus raise the elegance of the Zull, one of the best Anatolian reds, several times gold medal winner…

If you wish to buy wine from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at  [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you everything that you need.

The post Cappadocia, The Wine Route In Turkey appeared first on Buyfromturkey.

It has been proven that moderate daily consumption of organic dry nuts and dried fruits has many advantages and health benefits. So, unscrupulously snacking on dry nuts and dried fruits? A quick tour of the question and practical advice for a healthy and balanced diet …

The benefits of dry nuts and dried fruits

Irresistible and practical fruits

“Eat five fruits and vegetables a day”, an important rule, but in practice sometimes challenging to implement… Yes but… precisely, dry nut/dried fruits can be a great asset, because they are above all fruits with very low water content, but many practical advantages: delicious, varied, small, they keep perfectly well, can be taken everywhere very easily, can be cooked in 1000 and 1 ways and can be eaten from morning to evening as a snack, as an aperitif, before an activity, after an effort…

Healthy fruits

Dry nuts and dried fruits are concentrated in fiber, minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamins and are suitable for the health and the body. They contain:

• Fibers, essential for the functioning of transit and satiety;

• Carbohydrates, a source of energy;

• Vitamins (A, B, C ..), minerals and trace elements (magnesium, potassium, calcium, selenium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese…);

• Phyto-substances that decrease the risk of cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease;

• Essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) that help protect against bad cholesterol and heart disease…

A very long study, carried out by British researchers over more than 80 years, was released in 2013, showing that regular consumers of nuts live longer! Be careful however, with allergies, especially for the little ones.

Dry nuts and dried fruits for sport

Sometimes “despised” for their caloric intake, dry nuts, and dried fruits are nevertheless beneficial for athletes:  Combined, they can play an essential role, with oil fruits rather upstream in the preparation and dried fruits during the efforts. They allow, in a lasting or imminent way, a good functioning of the muscles, a better recovery, and a muscular reinforcement. They are also a source of arginine for better blood flow and, therefore, nutrients that reach the muscles much faster. Real “fuels” for the body, they are essential and recommended in the context of sustainable work on physical performance.

Raisins for running

American researchers have studied, proven – and published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition – a study demonstrating the benefits of raisins on endurance and sports activity. Result: Raisins are at least as effective as a sports energy supplement. Just as effective, but much more natural and organic and cheaper too!

Dry nuts and dried fruits for vegetarians

Being a vegetarian is a way of life and a choice. Vegetarian or vegan, yes, but without the deficiencies! And that’s good, dried fruits, combined with the same meal, cereals, and legumes, are a real alternative to animal proteins.

Seeds, nuts and dehydrated fruit

Dry nuts

“Nuts”, “shelled” or also called oleaginous fruits:

• Almonds are nutritious, rich in protein, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B2, and vitamin E;

• Nuts are a source of magnesium, phosphorus, iron and fiber and rich in vitamins and polyunsaturated fats (omega-3);

• Hazelnuts are rich in protein, magnesium, fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamins;

• Pecans are an excellent source of vitamin A, manganese and copper;

• Pistachios are rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, vitamins and monounsaturated fatty acids;

• Peanuts are a source of protein, lysine, polyphenols, zinc, manganese, copper and vitamin B3;

• Cashews are very rich in magnesium and copper;

• We could also talk about Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, chestnuts…

Dried fruits

Dried fruit is fresh fruit that has been dehydrated, resulting in a high concentration of taste and nutrients. So there are almost as many dried fruits as there are fruits:

• Raisins are rich in iron and fiber and contain almost no fat;

• Dried apricots are exceptionally rich in vitamin A and contain iron, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, as well as vitamin B3;

• Dried apples are very low in calories, low in sodium and high in fiber;

• Dried bananas are rich in magnesium and quick sugars;

• Dried figs are a source of magnesium, calcium, and iron and are very rich in fiber;

• Dates are low in fat, high in fiber and a source of iron, magnesium, and vitamins;

• We could also talk about prunes (plums), goji berries (wolfberry)…

What about the seeds?

Seeds also offer many virtues because they contain the “food reserves” of future plants.  There are several kinds of seeds for snacking and cooking:

• Cereals like oats, wheat, corn, spelled and rice…

• Legume seeds such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, and soybeans…

• Oil seeds such as flax, squash, sesame, sunflower, poppy, chia…

The ones we are interested in here are the oilseeds, perfect to complement the benefits of nuts and dried fruits and just as practical:

• Pumpkin seeds contain omega-6 and omega-3, vegetable protein, zinc, and vitamin A ;

• Sesame seeds are known for their manganese, phosphorus, and vitamin B. They are also rich in protein, minerals, and fiber;

• Sunflower seeds contain omega-9 and omega-6, unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E ;

• Flax seeds are rich in omega-3, protein, fiber, mucilage, and vitamins;

• We could also talk about chia seeds, pine nuts, hemp seeds, poppy seeds…

Eat dry nuts and dried fruits every day

Without scruples, yes, without moderation, no!

Dry nuts and dried fruits are, for equal weight, much richer and more concentrated than fresh ones. They are excellent for health, but you should not abuse them: it is better to consume them regularly, in moderation (30g / day), and diversify them to take maximum advantage of their benefits.

Organic dried fruit

When talking about dry nuts and dried fruits, it is even more important to talk about “organic” because in addition to the chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides used in conventional crops, dehydration and preservation unfortunately too often involve the use of dangerous substances. Organic dry nuts, organic dried fruits, and organic seeds are cultivated with respect for the environment, biodiversity, and regional constraints, most often harvested manually, dried in the sun. There is no addition of dyes or preservatives such as sulfites (hence more brown fruits, this is particularly true for apricots).

If you wish to buy dry nuts or dried fruits from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at  [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you everything that you need.

The post Dry Nuts and Dried fruits: An Asset For Your Health! appeared first on Buyfromturkey.

People unfamiliar with the country assume that the national drink is coffee, but in fact, tea is the drink inseparable from Turkish culture.

Women, family, and friends often meet in tea gardens, while men flock to the male-dominated tea rooms that are the rallying point of most villages and towns.

In Turkey, the daily ritual of tea tasting saves you from having to use your phone, Facebook, or any other means of communication.

It is always a personal experience and, in most cases, for strangers, the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

It even has its own proverb that connects it to love.

In this article, we will talk all about Turkish tea: the national drink of Turkey and its benefits.

How to drink Turkish tea

Called Çay in Turkish, small tulip-shaped glasses, placed on round saucers, are used to drink tea.

Turks never add milk, but usually insist on having two or more sugar cubes.

It is then enough to drink it slowly to appreciate the taste.

It is more than likely that Turkish friends will serve you tea when you visit them at home.

They can also invite you to meet them in tea gardens, which are family destinations.

Tea rooms, usually located in the village or town center, are predominantly male environments, and it would be infrequent to see a woman in one of them.

The benefits of Turkish tea

In addition to being a social experience, Turkish tea has many health benefits.

Studies in the Netherlands have shown that black tea helps regulate blood vessels and the heart, reducing the risk of stroke or heart attack.

The flavonoids contained in black tea also help reduce cholesterol levels, stabilize our metabolism, and reduce the risk of diabetes.

How to make Turkish tea?

Traditionally, a two-tire steel pot called çaydanlik is used to make Turkish tea.

Take the largest pan at the bottom and boil some water on the fire.

Put two tablespoons of tea leaves in the top pan and fill it with the boiling water from the bottom pan.

Place it on the bottom pan for about 10 minutes.

When you are ready to serve, fill a small tulip-shaped glass, a quarter to a third of the way up, with the tea mixture from the top half of the çaydanlik.

Top up with clear water from the bottom pan.

You can modify this mixture according to your taste, depending on whether you like strong tea or weak tea.

Add sugar cubes to taste, then stir and drink.

Çaykur Rize Tea

The most widely used brand of tea in Turkey is Çaykur from the northeast region of Rize.

This province, known as the tea capital of the country, has a mild climate suitable for the green mountains covered with tea plantations.

One in two adults works in the tea industry in Rize, which is estimated to be the leading trade in the region.

Çaykur produces many varieties of tea, although the Rize Turist is the best selling.

If you are in this region, visit the Çaykur Tea Gardens for a refreshing brew and a fantastic view of the city and its tea plantations.

Other types of Turkish tea

You will find other types of tea in Turkey, but black tea is the most common.

Oralet is a fruit tea with flavors such as orange, apple, lemon, and cherry.

Rather than using traditional tea leaves, the consistency of the mixture resembles chips used to decorate cakes.

It has an unusual bright color, a fruity taste, and generally, thanks to its sweetness, it does not require additional sugar.

Generally sold on local weekly markets, this type of tea attracts more tourists than Turks.

There are also Turkish herbal teas, but it is worth mentioning here apple tea.

It has earned a reputation in the tourism industry as the ideal drink for travelers, especially while shopping.

The truth is that Turks rarely drink it. According to them, the black and sweet variety is the only way to drink tea like a Turk!

If you wish to buy tea from Turkey, please do not hesitate to contact us by mail at  [email protected] or to call us at +90 532 361 5149. We can help you to get in direct contact with producers or provide you everything that you need.

The post All About Turkish Tea: The National Drink Of Turkey (And Its Benefits) appeared first on Buyfromturkey.