Turkey is for me one of the most gastronomically interesting countries in the world. What items do I have on my list when thinking about what to bring from Turkey?
Halva
Halva is my favorite Turkish dessert, made from sesame seeds and sugar/honey. These small 40 g sticks are the optimal size for me. One stick cost 7 lira, which is about 0.40 EUR.
Chocolate bar with Turkish pistachios
Ideal as a small snack for further trips, a 40 g package cost 12 lira, which is about 0.60 EUR.
Nestlé milk chocolate with Turkish pistachios
Great as a gift, one 60 g package cost 18 lira, which is about 1 EUR.
Turkish tea
Turks are known for their tea-drinking culture, but instead of classic black tea, I prefer Earl Grey type, so I bought this variant. A metal box with 125 g of loose tea cost approximately 2 EUR.
Green tea with sakura flavor
One package with ten 2 g bags cost 28 lira, which is about 1.60 EUR.
Halva with dried figs and walnuts
I really like the combination of nuts and figs, so I tasted halva with this flavor as well. A 350g package cost 17 lira, which is about 1 EUR.
Black mulberry jam
Mulberry trees are often grown as ornamental trees, but their fruits are edible. One 300ml jar cost 25 lira, which is about 1.30 EUR.
Turkish lentil soup
I like to bring home food from my travels that I don’t usually eat. This lentil soup from Knorr cost 9 lira, which is about 0.50 EUR.
And what did you bring back from your travels in Turkey?
Accommodation in Istanbul
I wholeheartedly endorse the Mest Hotel located directly in the heart of Istanbul. The hotel is elegantly renovated, the breakfasts are incredible and the views are spectacular. I last stayed here in the fall of 2022 and will definitely be back again.
