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Devrent Valley
Belly dance
Dance from Anatolia
Dance from AnatoliaTurks drink indeed :)
THE HISTORY OF DRINKING
Traditonally Islam condems the consumtion of alcohol , but the Turks have always kept an open mind.
As Lord Charlemont observed : “The Turks are the soberest people on earth yet some of them are apt to consider the words of the prophet in the literal sense and imagine if they abstain from the juice of the grape , they may drink any other spirituous liquor.”
With Turkey having many cultural influences , it is really down to the choice of the individual an deven those who abstain in public may enjoy a discreet tiple at home.
Perhaps the best way to sum up the Turks attitude to drinking is to recount the following tale :
Murat IV (1623-1640),himself a heavy drinker ,imposed on of the strictest crackdowns on alcohol and tobacco.He used to patrol the streets of Ýstanbul incognito,seeking out the drunk and having them executed on the spot.When raiding a local’s wine cellar one day , he found barrels of wine and demanded to know why they dare flout the prohibition so blatantly.The local replied “ my sultan, we put the grape juice in the barrel , but only god knows whether it becomes vinegar or wine !”
For almost eight centuries of Otoman rule , wine making was carried out with little interference from the authorities and , it hardly caused a stir when the modern republic took wine and spirits under its wings in the 1920’s. Drinking today :
Raký : Affectionately known as ‘lion’s milk’ is the traditional drink.This aniseed tasting spirit is drunk with water ; once the water is added, it changes from a clear liquid from a clear liquid to a milky white.The drink was developed because of the literal interpretation of the Koran against wine and the fermantation of the grape.
Çay : Turkish tea is served in small tulip-shaped glasses without milk.The Turks , who invariably have a sweet tooth , usually drink it with lots of sugar.If you find the tea too strong ask for ‘acik cay’ meaning weak tea.Elma cay , apple tea, will almost certainly be offered to you whilst you are out shopping.Ironically this drink, which tourists associate with Turkey , is rarely , if never , drunk by the locals.
Kahve : Turkish coffee has a strong and distinctive flavour and is served in tiny cups and saucers.You can order as follows : Sade kahve (without sugar) orta þekerli(medium-sweet), þekerli (sweet). Don’t be surprised if , after you have finished your drink , someone offers to tell your fortune from the sediment in your cup !
Ayran : Yoghurt , water and little salt mixed together and served chilled.It is especially refreshing in hot weather.
Wines : Turkey’s climate lends itself to wine production although its real potential has never been exploited due to the fact that , as a Muslim country , consumption remains relatively low.
The main wine producers are : Doluca, Kavaklýdere,Sevilen,Dikmen and Turasan(based in Cappadocia)
i ended up addicted to tea.Local people almost drink 25-30 cups of tea everyday !!
