I’ve done quite a bit of travelling and have experienced many cultures around the world. I have been known to have a drink or three to say the least. I lived in the UK for close to 25 years, and at that time there were no extended drinking laws, everywhere closed at 11 pm. This often meant that me and the boys would seriously binge drink at about 10.30, we would all order 2-3 pints so we could get a bit pissed before getting thrown out of the pub.
Of course that wasn’t usually the end of our drinking for the night, in order for us to get some more beer in, we only really had one choice, and that was to go to the local curry shop.
All that said, it wasn’t the only thing that we could eat after a skin full. Back in the UK, it is almost traditional to have a Donner Kebab, or as we Brits would say a DONNA! Thankfully that is not the case here in Turkey.
Turkish people seem to know what they are doing: when it comes to food they really do have every corner covered. Most Turkish people need to eat after consuming alcohol, so that’s why there is always hundreds of places open 24/7. The most common thing that is eaten is SOUP!
You are probably thinking what can a bowl of tomato soup do to sort me out, well forget tomato, as that isn’t on the menu. You can get a similar version called Ezo Gellin, which is a spicy version made of lentils and tomatoes and a load of herbs and while dipping your warm bread into it can cure you of your hangover….. But that’s not what the Turks are renowned for drinking (I say drinking because in Turkey soup is drunk, not eaten). For all you hard core soup drinker, try some of these:
Now all these soups are not for the faint hearted, it’s recommended that you add a lot of garlic sauce, vinegar and red pepper shaving to your soup. If you are brave enough to try any of these delicacies, you are guaranteed to wake up completely hangover free…. and ready to go out on the town the next night…
Afiyet Olsun ( Enjoy your meal )
- Kelle Paça (Head of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock)
- Ayak Paça (Feet or joints of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock)
- Dil Paça (Tongue of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock)
- Işkembe (Intestines of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock)
- Damar Tuzlama (Veins of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock)
- Şirden Tuzlama (Stomach lining of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock)
- Tuzlama (Thicker Intestines of a lamb or sheep, cooked in a meat stock