Culinary Tour: Flavor of Turkey 
(2008 / 9 Days) November 01 – 09, 2008 

Istanbul – Izmir – Bergama – Ephesus – Kusadasi – Istanbul

Journey on an exotic culinary odyssey through Byzantine, Ottoman and modern Turkey. Sample the most authentic regional cuisine in unpretentious neighborhood eateries and elegant restaurants. Watch some of the world’s best chefs create their masterpieces, including classics of the Ottoman court. Visit the vibrant, bustling markets for exotic spices and a cornucopia of other foodstuffs. But this tour is more than just about eating. See classic historical sites, enjoy the sun and sea of the Mediterranean on a boat trip, shop here and there, and explore the four thousand shops in the labyrinthine passageways of the Grand Bazaar. 

The culinary center of the country is the Marmara Region - Istanbul area and the Aegean Region - Izmir and surrounding. This temperate, fertile region boasts a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, as well as the most delicately flavoured lamb. The variety of fish that travel the Bosphorus surpasses that of other seas. Itinerary covers the Marmara and Aegean Regions. See the most popular historical sites of Western Turkey, and at the same time study and taste the rich regional Turkish dishes.

For those who enjoy culinary pursuits, the Turkish cuisine is a very curious one. The variety of dishes it includes, the way they all come together in feast-like meals and the evidently crafted intricacy of each one offer enough material for a life-long study! It is not easy to discern a basic element or a single dominant feature, like the Italian pasta or the French sauce.

Food, Glorious Food 

In the 16th century, court poets devoted love verses to food, and these were written with a delicate sensuality that still survives in Turkish romantic discourse today –  Good night my watermelon, my red wheat waiting in the sacks....“ Titles of great prestige were given to the finest master chefs, and court recipes were guarded with greatest of secrecy.