BLACK SEA CUISINE
As I am from
Trabzon I wanted to talk about the cuisine of my region which is Black Sea
cuisine.Characteristics
of climate and geography are at the top of the list of important factors that
have shaped cuisines throughout the world. Different nutritional systems
emerged in different parts of the world in ages when people lived with no
knowledge of each other. Today these cuisines, which developed over thousands
of years, are in a constant relationship of mutual influence and the world is
newly making the transition to a composite or fusion cuisine. The cooking of
the Black Sea is one of the rare cuisines that still preserve their unique
character. Influenced by practically no other way of cooking, it has developed
a nutritional style unique unto itself in which the traditional desserts are
never absent from the table.
THE SEA WITH THE TASTIEST FISH
The
Black Sea boasts the world’s tastiest fish. Thanks to the many rivers that
empty into it, the Black Sea is rich in the plankton on which fish feed. To put
it another way, the Black Sea is a virtual oasis for fish. Since fishing is the means of livelihood
along the coastal strip, fish also have a significant place in the local diet.
My favourite one is always Torik (Palamut).
KALE AND OTHER VEGETABLES
KALE AND OTHER VEGETABLES
Kale
is another icon of Black Sea cuisine. One of the 450 species of the cabbage family, kale is used in
many of Black Sea recipes from soup to
dolma. Another feature that distinguishes Black Sea cuisine from that of other
regions is the sheer number of dishes made with vegetables. An especially
popular one is pickled green beans, which are first soaked in water to remove
the salt and then braised. Pickling is a common way of preserving vegetables in
the region.
CORN: THE STAPLE OF BLACK SEA CUISINE
Always
open to
innovation over centuries, the people of the Black Sea quickly adapted every
new product introduced in the region to their own traditional life style. Corn
especially has become synonymous with the Black Sea. Brought here in the 17th
century, this plant of South American origin soon captured the pride of place
in the regional cuisine. Corn is used for almost unlimited purposes in Black
Sea cooking. The local people, who live at
the elevations not conductive to agriculture, grow corn easily in their
kitchen gardens and either consume it fresh, dry it, or grind it into flour.
The Black Sea people also produce butter, many varieties of
cheeses, and ‘kavurma’, or meat braised in its own fat. ‘Muhlama’ and ‘kuymak’
, in particular both dishes made of melted cheese, display all the creativity of the local people. ‘Muhlama’ is
a dish that could arouse at least as much interest as fondue.
BLACK SEA FLAVORS IN RAMADAN
During the month
of Ramadan in particular, dishes made of dough grace the table both at
breakfast and at the evening meal. The famous Black Sea ‘pride’ or flat bread
is ubiquitous in Turkey throughout the month. Pride is made all over Turkey, but
the best is that made with Black Sea butter, cheese and ‘kavurma’. What is
interesting here is that in a region where wheat is not widely grown, bread
baking is nevertheless a highly developed art. Even if the anchovy’s
indisputable domination of the cuisine casts a bit of a shadow over its other
specialties, Black Sea pide, like Italian pizza, is certainly going to find a
place in world cuisines in the years ahead. From its muhlama and cornbread to
its kale soup and Laz pastries, Black Sea cuisine offers something for every
plate. It deserves to be discovered by the whole world, and one day soon it
will be.
Recipe of Muhlama:
Ingredients:
½ cup grated
Kosher cheese
½ cup string
cheese
1 tea
spoon cheese in a skin (Turkish tulum
cheese)
2 table spoon
corn flour
2 table spoon
butter
1 cup water
Preparation:
Brown the corn
flour first in a skillet in half the butter. Add the string cheese and the
Kosher. Add a cup of water to the mixture and continue stirring. Then add the
rest of the cheese and butter. When the cheese mixture reach the consistency of
a paste, pour it over the melted butter in the skillet. Serve piping hot.
