Turkey’s cuisine, from its central Asian origins to today’s cosmopolitan trappings, is remarkably diverse, based upon a robust agrarian tradition that makes Turkey self-sufficient in the production of food. The country’s multicultural heritage has generated a urbanely, purist cuisine, strong on grilled meats and seafood, salads, fruits and vegetables, rich desserts and tasty local drinks - from tart fruit juices to fine wines, beers and Turkish coffee.

Considered healthy as part of the Mediterranean diet, it is a cuisine that typically emphasizes the natural flavor of its main ingredients, rather than masking them with sauces – a reflection of the abundance of fresh, high quality foodstuffs. Meat, for example, is primarily grilled like that of one of the most internationally famous of Turkish culinary creations, the kebab. It is the grilling process over charcoal that lends a kebab its distinctive taste, drawing upon the intrinsic flavor characteristics of the meat rather than those of marinades or spice rubs.

While simplicity is a hallmark of Turkish cooking, the cuisine boasts a density of flavor and texture as well as extraordinary variety (eggplant alone is prepared in 40 different ways), the result of a millennium of refinement, the centuries-long influence of an imperial palace (as in the case of two of the world’s other two grand cuisines – French and Chinese) and a culture in which the preparation and serving of food is an important ritual of everyday life. Indeed, Turkish hospitality is globally renown, the offering of food, be it in a restaurant or a home, considered a gesture of friendship.

A Turkish breakfast commonly consists of a mélange of fresh tomatoes, white cheese, black olives, and bread with honey and preserves – with an occasional egg.

At lunch and dinner, soup, such as red lentil, often plays a central role and can be accompanied by a seemingly dizzying array of dishes, which are not necessarily served in conventional courses. However, there is nothing arbitrary about the presentation – each complements all the others orchestrating a symphony for the palate.

For instance, lunch will often include a rice or bulgar pilaf dish, served in tandem with grilled lamb, chicken baked with peppers and/or eggplant and grilled fish. Several different vegetables prepared with olive oil and served at room temperature lend additional color and flavor to the meal, as does yogurt, a common accompaniment.

Still, there are two easily defined courses for lunch and dinner – appetizers or meze, such as sardine rolled in grape leaves, spiced lamb meatballs and/or roasted pureed eggplant and dessert, which usually includes fresh fruit as well as sweets and Turkish coffee.

Ayran – a drink of beaten yogurt, cold water and salt

Baklava – the famous Turkish dessert, layers of paper thin pastry filled with chopped nuts and drizzled with a rich, honey based syrup

Borek - flaky pastry pies, stuffed with meat or cheese, baked fried or grilled

Dolma – any vegetables, such as grape leaves, cabbage leaves, and green peppers stuffed with spiced rice

Doner kebab – lamb, the meat staple of the Turkish kitchen, chopped, molded on a skewer and cooked on a charcoal grill

Helva – a sweetmeat dessert of flour, semolina, butter, sugar, milk and nuts

Imambayildi - aubergine, or eggplant, cooked with onions, garlic and tomatoes served cold

Kaymak – clotted cream, a frequent garnish for baked quince or pear

Kofte – any dish made with ground meats, or bulgar and rice meat mixture; skewered, baked or fried

Lebleli – roasted and dried chickpeas appetizer

Lokum – a gelled sweet made of sugar, often mixed with hazelnuts or pistachios, cut into pieces and rolled in powdered sugar. Known as "Turkish delight"

Manti – small pastas filled with minced meat

Muhalleb - milk desserts in which fruit usually plays a prominent role

Pide – flattened, oval bread served plain or meat filled. Referred to as "Turkish pizza"

Piyaz – any kind of dried bean salad with egg and vegetables

Sis kebab – chunks of lamb threaded on a skewer cooked on a charcoal grill

Zeytinyaglilar – vegetable dishes prepared with olive oil