Post by The March Hare on Apr 29, 2006 8:17:25 GMT 1
The history of drinking . . . . .
»
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traditionally, Islam condemns the consumption 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 it 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 and even those who abstain in public may enjoy a discreet tipple at home.
Perhaps the best way to sum up the Turks attitute to drinking is to recount the following tale;-
Murat IV (1623-1640 In power), himself a heavy drinker, imposed one of the strictest crackdowns on alcohol and tobaco. He used to patrol the streets of Istanbul incognito, seeking out the drunk and having them executed on the spot. He raided a local's wine cellar one day , so the story goes, where 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".
But for almost eight centuries of Ottoman 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 :-
Raki - affectionately know as "lions milk" is the national drink. This aniseed tasting spirit is drunk with water and once the water is added it changes from a clear liquid to a milky white. The drink was developed because of the literal interpretation of the Koran against wine and the fermentation of the grape.
Cay - 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 to strong then ask for "acik cay" (weak tea). Apple tea (elma cay) will almost certainly be offered to you whilst you are shopping. Ironically, this drink which most tourists associate with Turkey is rarely, if ever, drunk by the locals.
Kahve - Turkish coffee has a strong and distinctive flavour and served in a small coffee cups. You can order as follows: Sade (without sugar), orta sekerli (medium -sweet) or Cok sekerli (very 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 a little salt mixed together and served chilled. It is a refreshing drink in hot weather and very heathly too.
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. Wines worth sampling include Cankaya, Yakut and Villa Doluca and Nevsah.
Turkish Spirits - Local brands of Gin, Vodka and Brandy are all good value and rather tasty too. Imported spirits are available but expect to pay more for them as they are subject to import tax.
If you have never tried any of the above then next time you are out - give em a go
»
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traditionally, Islam condemns the consumption 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 it 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 and even those who abstain in public may enjoy a discreet tipple at home.
Perhaps the best way to sum up the Turks attitute to drinking is to recount the following tale;-
Murat IV (1623-1640 In power), himself a heavy drinker, imposed one of the strictest crackdowns on alcohol and tobaco. He used to patrol the streets of Istanbul incognito, seeking out the drunk and having them executed on the spot. He raided a local's wine cellar one day , so the story goes, where 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".
But for almost eight centuries of Ottoman 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 :-
Raki - affectionately know as "lions milk" is the national drink. This aniseed tasting spirit is drunk with water and once the water is added it changes from a clear liquid to a milky white. The drink was developed because of the literal interpretation of the Koran against wine and the fermentation of the grape.
Cay - 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 to strong then ask for "acik cay" (weak tea). Apple tea (elma cay) will almost certainly be offered to you whilst you are shopping. Ironically, this drink which most tourists associate with Turkey is rarely, if ever, drunk by the locals.
Kahve - Turkish coffee has a strong and distinctive flavour and served in a small coffee cups. You can order as follows: Sade (without sugar), orta sekerli (medium -sweet) or Cok sekerli (very 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 a little salt mixed together and served chilled. It is a refreshing drink in hot weather and very heathly too.
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. Wines worth sampling include Cankaya, Yakut and Villa Doluca and Nevsah.
Turkish Spirits - Local brands of Gin, Vodka and Brandy are all good value and rather tasty too. Imported spirits are available but expect to pay more for them as they are subject to import tax.
If you have never tried any of the above then next time you are out - give em a go
