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Ottoman Cuisine is the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire and its successors in Anatolia, the Balkans, and much of the Middle East. The importance of culinary art for the Ottoman Sultans is evident to every visitor of Topkapı Palace. The huge kitchens were housed in several buildings under ten domes. By the 17th century some 1300 kitchen staff were housed in the Palace. Hundreds of cooks, specializing in different categories of dishes such as soups, pilafs, kebabs, vegetables, fish, breads, pastries, candy and helva, syrup and jams and beverages, fed as many as ten thousand people a day and, in addition, sent trays of food to others in the city as a royal favor. Image File history File links OttomanCoatOfArms. ... Early on as the Ottoman Turks drove out the Byzantines from Anatolia and later pursued them into Europe, the pursuit was a part of the Jihad (or Holy War) against Christianity, and the first Ottoman rulers called themselves Gazi, or Holy Warriors. ... “Ottoman” redirects here. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Ottoman Turkish (Turkish: or , Ottoman Turkish: ‎ ) was the variant of the Turkish language that was used as the administrative and literary language of the Ottoman Empire. ... Ottoman classical music (Türk Sanat Müziği) is a kind of music that developed parallel with the Ottoman Empire. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The prose of the Ottoman Empire can, roughly, be divided along the lines of two broad periods: early Ottoman prose, written prior to the 19th century CE and exclusively nonfictional in nature; and later Ottoman prose, which extended from the mid-19th century Tanzimat period of reform to the final... Ottoman Miniature was an art form in the Ottoman Empire, derviving mainly from the Arab-Persian miniature tradition, especially in its Baghdad version, and also with Chinese influences. ... YaÄŸlı GüreÅŸ (IPA:) is the Turkish national sport. ... “Ottoman” redirects here. ... Anatolia and Europe Anatolia (Turkish: from Greek: Ανατολία - Anatolia) is a peninsula of Western Asia which forms the greater part of the Asian portion of Turkey, as opposed to the European portion (Thrace, or traditionally Rumelia). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... Entrance of Topkapı Palace, Bab-üs Selam The Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı in Turkish, literally the Cannongate Palace - named after a nearby gate), is located at the tip of a spit of land in the European part of Istanbul. ... For other uses, see Soup (disambiguation). ... Chicken Tikka Jalfrezi, pulao rice, and cucumber raita Pilaf, (Turkish pilav, Azeri plov, Bosnian pilav, Serbian pilav, Armenian pilav, Romanian pilaf, Persian polow, Afghanistan palow, Greek πιλάφι, India/Pakistan pulav/ pulao, Uzbek and Russian plov, Kazakh palaw) also spelled pilau, perloo, perlau, plaw, pilaw, and pilaff is a Middle Eastern and... Left to right: Chenjeh Kabab, Kabab Koobideh, Jujeh Kabab in an Afghan restaurant. ... A plate of vegetables Vegetable is a culinary term which generally refers to an edible part of a plant. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Bread (disambiguation). ... Pastry the name given to various kinds of dough made from ingredients such as flour, butter and eggs, that are rolled out thinly and used as the base for baked goods. ... For other uses, see Candy (disambiguation). ... The word halva is used to describe two distinctly different types of sweet, block shaped confections. ... In cooking, a syrup (from Arabic شراب sharab, beverage, via Latin siropus) is a thick, viscous liquid, containing a large amount of dissolved sugars, but showing little tendency to deposit crystals. ... Jam from berries Jam (also known as jelly or preserves) is a type of sweet spread or condiment made with fruits or sometimes vegetables, sugar, and sometimes pectin if the fruits natural pectin content is insufficient to produce a thick product. ...

The importance of food has been also evident in the structure of the Ottoman military elite, the Janissaries. The commanders of the main divisions were known as the Soupmen, other high ranking officers were the Chief Cook, Scullion, Baker, and Pancake Maker, though their function had little to do with these titles. The huge cauldron used to make pilaf had a special symbolic significance for the Janissaries, as the central focus of each division. The kitchen was also the center of politics, for whenever the Janissaries demanded a change in the Sultan's Cabinet, or the head of a grand vizier, they would overturn their pilaf cauldron. "Overturning the cauldron," is an expression still used today to indicate a rebellion in the ranks.

It was in this environment that hundreds of the Sultans' chefs, who dedicated their lives to their profession, developed and perfected the dishes of the Turkish Cuisine, which was then adopted by the kitchens of the provinces ranging from the Balkans to Southern Russia, and reaching North Africa. Istanbul was the capital of the world and had all the prestige, so that its ways were imitated. At the same time, it was supported by an enormous organization and infrastructure, which enabled all the treasures of the world to flow into it. The provinces of the vast Empire were integrated by a system of trade routes with refreshing caravanserais for the weary merchants and security forces. The Spice Road, the most important factor in culinary history was under the full control of the Sultan. Only the best ingredients were allowed to be traded under the strict standards established by the courts. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Southern Federal District (Russian: Ю́жный федера́льный о́круг; tr. ...  Northern Africa (UN subregion)  geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...

Guilds played an important role in development and sustenance of the Cuisine. These included hunters, fishermen, cooks, kebab cooks, bakers, butchers, cheese makers and yogurt merchants, pastry chefs, pickle makers, and sausage merchants. All of the principal trades were believed to be sacred and each guild traced its patronage to the Prophets and Saints. The guilds prevailed in pricing and quality control. They displayed their products and talents in spectacular floats driven through Istanbul streets during special occasions, such as the circumcision festivities for the Crown Prince or religious holidays. This article is about male circumcision. ...

Following the example of the Palace, all of the grand Ottoman houses boasted elaborate kitchens and competed in preparing feasts for each other as well as the general public. In fact, in each neighborhood, at least one household would open its doors to anyone who happened to stop by for dinner during the holy month of Ramadan, or during other festive occasions. This is how the traditional Cuisine evolved and spread, even to the most modest corners of the country

The center of Ottoman cuisine was Istanbul, the capital, where the imperial court and the metropolitan elites created a refined tradition bringing together elements of regional cuisines from across the empire: Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural and financial center. ...

...despite the disintegration of the Ottoman political empire, we can still see the survival of a large region which could be called the Ottoman culinary empire. The Balkans, Greece, Anatolia and the Fertile Crescent... are common heirs to what was once the Ottoman life-style, and their cuisines offer treacherous circumstantial evidence of this fact. Of course, they represent at the same time a good deal of local or regional culinary traditions. Besides, one should not forget that it is typical of any great cuisine in the world to be based on local varieties and on mutual exchange and enrichment among them, but at the same time to be homogenized and harmonized by a metropolitan tradition of refined taste.^[1]

This diverse cuisine was honed in the Imperial Palace's kitchens by chefs brought from certain parts of the empire to create and experiment with different ingredient. Each cook specialised in specific tasks. The creations of the Ottoman palace's kitchens filtered to the population, for instance through Ramadan events, and through the cooking at Yalis of Pashas, and from here on spread to the rest of the population. This article is about Islamic religious observances in the month of Ramadan. ...

Ottoman cuisine is based on the culmination of Ottoman regional and ethnic dishes and technological and innovational advancement of these with new ingredients and cooking techniques.

The Imperial cooks were tested and hired by their method of cooking rice, a simple dish. They were brought over from various places to experiment and invent new dishes, which first passed by the palate of the Chesnidjibashi (the imperial food taster), who tested the food for poison and taste before it was served to the Sultan. These cooks experimented with such extreme textures and ingredients.

Much of Ottoman cuisine lives on in the cuisines of Anatolia (Turkish cuisine, Armenian cuisine, Cypriot cuisine), the Balkans (Greek cuisine, Bulgarian cuisine, Romanian cuisine, Macedonian cuisine, Albanian cuisine, Serbian cuisine, Bosnian cuisine), and the Middle East (Levantine cuisine, Lebanese cuisine, Syrian cuisine, Iraqi cuisine, Jordanian cuisine, Israeli cuisine). It has influenced other neighboring cuisines, as well: the Austrian tradition of strudel derives from Ottoman phyllo. Turkish cuisine inherited its Ottoman heritage which could be described as a fusion and refinement of Turkic, Arabic, Greek, Armenian and Persian cuisines. ... Armenian cuisine is as ancient as the history of Armenia, and a combination of different tastes and aromas. ... Cypriot cuisine is the cuisine of the Cypriot people who live on the island of Cyprus located in the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea. ... Greek cuisine is the cuisine of Greece and of the Greeks . ... Bulgarian cuisine (Bulgarian: българска кухня) is representative of the cuisine of the Balkans, showing Turkish, Greek and Middle Eastern influences and to a lesser extent Italian, Mediterranean and Hungarian ones. ... Romanian cuisine is diverse, blending the dishes of the several traditions which it has come into contact with, as well as maintaining its own character. ... Macedonian cuisine (Macedonian: Makedoska Kujna) is a representative of the cuisine of the Balkans, showing Turkish, Greek and Middle Eastern influences and to a lesser extent Italian, Mediterranean and Hungarian ones. ... Albanian cuisine consists of local dishes from around the country of Albania. ... Serbian cuisine is influenced by Mediterranean (especially Greek, Bulgarian), Turkish and Hungarian cuisines, which makes it a heterogeneous one. ... Bosnian cuisine does not use any spices, and, when it does, in very small quantity. ... Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Levant region. ... Lebanese Cuisine,(Arabic , المأكولات اللبنانية ) or foods from Lebanon, are considered a Mediterranean delicacy consisting of a variety of fresh vegetarian recipes, salads and stews all seasoned with a flavorsome combination of herbs and spices. ... A garnished dish of tabbouleh The term Syrian cuisine refers to the style or method of cooking in Syria. ... History Iraqi cuisine has many roots one of which is in tent cookery. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Apfelstrudel A strudel is a type of pastry that originated in Germany and Austria and is most often associated with Austrian and German cuisine. ... Phyllo (also spelled filo) dough is used in thin layers to make pastries and originated in Mediterranean cuisine. ...

Some of the more extravagant or extreme dishes have had only limited diffusion:

• Tavuk gogsu (Chicken breast pudding): chicken breast was beaten to strings and added as a texture to fine rice pudding
• Sonmus kirec Kaymagında pismis bal kabağı tatlısı: Pumpkin dessert cooked on chalk

Tavuk göğsü. Tavuk göğsü chicken breast is a Turkish dessert made with the white meat of chicken breast, cracked rice or other thickening agent, milk, sugar and cinnamon. ...

History

It is clear that Ottoman cuisine was unified and refined in imperial Istanbul, but its ultimate origins are less clear.

It is a matter of mere speculation whether the origins of this imperial culinary legacy are to be traced back to Greek antiquity, the Byzantine heritage, or the ingenuity of the glorious Turkish and Arab nations, not forgetting Phoenician and Jewish traditions; nowadays you may find support for any of these claims in various countries in the Balkans and the Near East.^[2]

Fragner emphasizes the importance of New World foodstuffs in defining Ottoman cuisine, which adopted them more rapidly than France, Italy, and northern Europe. Inca-era terraces on Taquile are used to grow traditional Andean staples, such as quinua and potatoes, alongside wheat, a European import. ...

Bibliography

• Bert Fragner, "From the Caucasus to the Roof of the World: a culinary adventure", in Sami Zubaida and Richard Tapper, A Taste of Thyme: Culinary Cultures of the Middle East, London and New York, 1994 and 2000, ISBN 1-86064-603-4.

1. ^ Fragner, p. 52
2. ^ Fragner, p. 53