Ali Abbas Çınar
Turkish cuisine has a significant place in world civilization. The settlement of the Turks in various regions, their establishment of states and civilizations, their adoption of a variety of religious systems, their proximity to different ethnic communities, and adaptation of new dishes by the use of local vegetation of the areas they settled, have been the chief sources of the wide variety observed in their cuisine. Animal husbandry is the most important economic basis on which Turks have depended since the earliest times. Wheat constitutes the second most significant source of nutrition in the Turkish economy. The diet of the Central Asian Turks was restricted to a fatty pastry made of wheat flour, milk and dairy products, horse meat and mutton, and a drink made of mare’s milk (kumiss or kımız). “The cultivation and harvest of crops such as wheat and barley, and the production of flour and bread from these crops points to an advanced level of civilization.” The foods and drinks cited in Divanü Lügati’t-Türk (the earliest known Turkish dictionary) bear witness to the well-established agricultural and culinary activities of Turks mentioned above; apparently, Turks had long been involved in growing crops and making bread, desserts and drinks. This, in turn, suggests the existence of mills, ovens and other cooking devices, constituting evidence for the highly developed urban life among Turks. Urbanized without developed culinary cultures are unimaginable. It has also been determined also by foreign scientists that in addition to animal husbandry, the Turks of Asia had great agricultural knowledge.
It would be unwise to think of the culinary culture of the Anatolian Turks as totally independent from the cultural environment of Central Asia. The view that the existence of a long tradition of agriculture, food and drink in Anatolia is explicable only in terms of the Anatolian civilizations preceding the Turks is not sound. Studies reveal that the Turks had already made the transition into sedentary life before they came to Anatolia. In addition, their culinary culture dates back to earliest times in human history. It is quite normal that some alterations should occur in a culinary culture parallel to changes in manner of production and geography. On the other hand, it is also a fact that some Turkish tribes have preferred a nomadic life. It is apparent that, when compared with tribes and ethnic groups leading a sedantary life, this type of life style has an equally rich repertoire of rituals and customs pertaining to food and drink. The fact that the foods and drinks listed in Divanü Lügati’t- Türk still exist with their original names and preparation methods in present day Anatolia is proof of the far-reaching roots of Turkish culinary traditions.
The World of Food and Drink as Depicted in Turkish Folk Poetry
Several studies have been conducted on the epic poems of the Turkish folk poets; however, most of these studies consist either of anthologies of works by several poets, or collected works of individual poets with accompanying commentary.
Epics on food and beverages are products of the oral cultural tradition, and usually containing humorous anecdotes. That said, the element of humor is restricted to only a small portion of these works; it is not their focus. While stating his preferences for certain dishes or food items, the poet also expresses his feelings and wishes and provokes critical thinking as well as laughter and thus, the invited guests, the narrator, and the poet himself often eat “a pilaff of dreams,” as depicted in a poem by Aşık Veysel.
The farther we go into history, the more we see an emphasis on the religious and mystical elements in such epics. The word sofra (lit. the cloth spread out for eating, the dining table) has long been an expression of union, togetherness, friendship, happiness, and peace. To open (spread) a sofra is synonymous with sharing and togetherness. To hold a sofra has been used in historical sources with a meaning of “settling in a place, making it one’s home.” This religious connotation attached to the sofra, and hence to eating and food, has naturally included fruits:
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Kırklar ceminde engür ezildi |
Grapes were pressed in the court of the forty saints |
The prophets, religious leaders, sultans or heroes whose names appear in these epics are:
Adem (Adam), Ali, Hacı Bektaş Veli, Hasan, Hüseyin (Hussein), Havva (Eve), Hızır (Khidir or St. George), İsa (Jesus Christ), Lokman Hekim (A mythical physician believed able to cure all ailments, very similar to Asclepius), Muhammed (Mohammad), Murad Khan, Musa (Moses), Nuh Nebi (Noah), Zaloğlu Rüstem, Ebu Süfyan (Abu Sufian), Süleyman (Solomon).
The millennia-old Turkish culinary has consequently led to the birth and development of certain manners and behaviors expected at the table. Starting each meal with the holybesmele, and finishing it with a prayer are customs that have left their mark on Turkish culture after the Turks’ conversion to Islam. However, it must also be noted that this particular behavior might also be influenced by pre-Islamic rituals. Such behavior patterns are reflected in the epics as well:
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Besmeleyle başlar yemek |
The meal starts with the besmele |
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Bismillahla edin niyet |
With the holy words (bismillah) make your wish |
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Doyunca şükür ya Rab diyesin |
When you are full, you should give thanks to the Lord |
When listing the meals he dreams of, the poet says “bismillah” as if he is going to eat them in real life. Likewise, he finishes off the poem by reminding the readers to say grace. This thinking is reflected also in other poets’ works:
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Şeref der ki |
Şeref (the poet) says “may our table have bounty” |
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Bütün nimetleri saydım adıyla |
I listed all of God’s gifts |
Praying at the end of the meal is a common folk tradition, especially if the gathering is for some specific occasion such as a funeral, a wedding etc., and is considered a holy deed. The prayers reserved for this purpose are in verse form:
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“Bismillahirrahmanirrahim |
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim |
Other small samples of such prayers in verse include:
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“Allah Allah |
God oh God |
Another pattern of behavior observed after the meal is cleaning up the dish with a piece of bread and eating that so as to leave nothing behind. This custom has both societal and economic reasons as well as religious ones. Finishing the food on one’s dish to the last bit and wasting none of it is considered a sunna (a preferable or customary act according to the Islamic religion). Conversely, leaving food on the dish is considered a sin.
Eating together as a large group is another characteristic of the Turks. Particularly on occasions such as festivals, weddings, deaths, and other special days (“yuğ” or funeral rituals of pre-Islamic times) banquets were held. This fact of life finds its expression also in poems:
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Bir davet tertibi kurduk bir vakit |
We held a banquet once |
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Misafire aluçalı eşgili |
That sour plums |
(*the phrase “yer yaran” literally means someone who splits open the earth but the saying is used for someone who performs the Alevi - Bektashi ritual dance.)
The epic poet makes an introduction to the epic either by talking about the table manners or listing the dishes special to his locality and region—or some dishes known countrywide— and in particular, by expressing his preference for food. The fact that one starts the meal by eating a soup, continues with the main dish, and finishes off with a dessert, tea or coffee is stated at this stage as a general rule. Folk /epic poet Murat Çobanoğlu, starts his epic with the following quatrain:
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Yemeklerin tarifini edeyim |
Let me give a description of the dishes |
The same poet expresses his gratitude to God and asks His blessings in the last quatrain:
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Murat Çobanoğlu söyledi destan Bizlere bunları verdi Yaradan |
Murat Çobanoğlu has recited his epic |
A similar cultural heritage is observed in other poets as well:
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İlkin çorbalardan başlayıp söze |
Let me start by talking about the soups |
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Türlü nanı niğmet suyu yanında |
All sorts of blessed bread and water |
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Çok meşhurdur bizim yemeklerimiz |
Our dishes are very well known |
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Kanmıyasın bol çeşidin kastına |
Don’t be taken in by the ample variety of the dishes |
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Poyrazoğlu kur sofrayı |
Poyrazoğlu, set the table |
At the beginning of these epics, the poets prepare their audience for the atmosphere of a dream world presented in the poem. This resembles the riddle-introductions encountered in fairy tales and stories. Some examples of this are as follows:
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Yemeğin hayali geçti gönlümden |
The dream of food has appeared in my heart |
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Takdir tecelliden erzak diledik |
We asked for provisions from God |
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Ya İlahi |
Oh Holy God, I would like to make a few wishes from your gate |
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Olur mürde iken yeniden ihya |
It rises from the dead |
In the couplets and quatrains used at the end of these epics, a technique that is frequently used in some narratives is employed; the audience is awakened from a dream world and reintroduced to the real world:
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Cümle kelam hep fani vefası yok dünyanın |
All the words are transient and the world errant |
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Reyhanî’ye rüya görmüş diyerler |
They say Reyhani has seen a dream |
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Mışıl mışıl uyurdu |
My dear cat Mestan used to sleep soundly on my pillow |
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Rençberlik dediğin |
Working as a farmhand raises well-deserved money |
Some of the poets complain about not being able to find food or eat whatever they whish to eat: