Mostly Mediterranean and Aegean appetizers (mezes) that would add delicate flavors to any party, meal.

April 15, 2023

Hummus

Ingredients: 1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup water 3 table spoons tahini (sesame paste) 1 clove garlic, […]
May 14, 2018

Stuffed Dates

Here’s a sinfully decadent vegan dessert that is healthy at the same time. Looks delicious and is always a party favorite as an appetizer. It is very […]
July 2, 2016

Artichokes Stuffed with Avocados

Here’s a perfect example of an Aegean-California fusion dish, if there is such a thing. Although the Mediterranean climate is perfect for growing avocados, they are […]
December 2, 2014

Hummus with Red Beets – Pancarlı Humus

Hummus with Red Beets Ingredients: 1 small-medium beet (1 cup) 2 cups of water 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained 2 table spoons tahini (sesame paste) […]
November 18, 2014

Weaved Puff Pastry Cheese Rolls – Örgülü Peynirli Puf Böreği

Weaved Puff Pastry Cheese Rolls If you want a very easy recipe for borek, this is it! You’ll use puff pastry right out of the freezer. […]
November 8, 2014

Roasted Bell Peppers in Lemon Garlic Sauce – Tarator Soslu Közlenmiş Biber

Tarator is a garlic-olive oil based sauce that is commonly used in summer salads in Western Turkey. Cooked long string beans (börülce), zucchini, peppers of all […]
March 2, 2014

Savory Dill and Cheese Pastry

Savory Dill and Cheese pastry Savory treats are my favorites for tea time. My friend Nur served these to us with coffee and they were an […]
January 19, 2014

Savory Kataifi Balls with Cheese

Savory Kataifi Balls with Cheese – Peynirli Çıtır Kadayıf Couple of years ago we were in the small Greek Island of Leros. We enjoyed many delicacies at Mylos […]
December 30, 2013

Roasted Eggplant Salad with Almonds and Mint – Nazuktan

Roasted Eggplant Salad with Almonds and Mint – Nazuktan Roasted Eggplant Salad with Almonds and Mint – Nazuktan Nazuktan is a Central Anatolian recipe. I have […]
February 23, 2013

Garbanzo Balls – Nohut Köftesi

  Garbanzo Balls   Ingredients: 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (dry or canned) If you are going to use dry garbanzo beans, you need to soak […]
December 27, 2012

Olive Bread – Zeytinli Ekmek

Olive Bread – Zeytinli Ekmek Here’s a tasty savory bread with olives, cheese and herbs. Very easy to make. It is great at breakfast/brunch as well […]
November 2, 2012

3 Layer Potato Salad – 3 Katlı Patates Salatası

3 Layer Potato Salad – 3 Katlı Patates Salatasi This in fact, is an appetizer/salad that consists of 3 different appetizers in three different colors layered […]
October 22, 2012

Celery Root Salad – Kereviz Salatası

Celery Root Salad – Kereviz Salatası Here’s very health salad that you can also serve as a dip or as a topping for crackers or pita […]
October 16, 2012

Layered Cauliflower-Broccoli Salad – Katlı Karnıbahar-Brokoli Salatası

Cauliflower-Broccoli Salad – Karnıbahar-Brokoli Salatası Ingredients: 1 medium cauliflower 1 lb broccoli juice of 1 lemon 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon mustard salt and pepper […]
October 5, 2012

Eggplants Stuffed with Tomatoes, Onions and Garlic in Olive Oil – Imam Bayıldı

Eggplants Stuffed with Onions and Garlic in Olive Oil – Imam Bayıldı The name of this famous dish  “Imam Bayıldı“ means “Priest Fainted”, supposedly with pleasure […]
July 16, 2012

Cucumber Salad with Yogurt

Cucumber Salad with Yogurt Here’s a refreshing salad for hot summer days that is easy to make. I use small cucumbers that are sold as Persian […]
June 26, 2012

Garbanzo Bean Dip with Cumin and Dill

Garbanzo Bean Dip with Cumin and Dills This is a dip similar to hummus, except that it does not have tahini (sesame paste) in it. Not […]
June 19, 2012

Poğaça – Savory Pastry with Cheese Filling

Poğaça – Savory Pastry with Cheese Filling Poğaça is a delicious little pasty which usually accompanies tea coffee in the morning or in afternoon. It is unresistable […]
June 4, 2012

Carrot Salad with Garlic Yogurt – Yoğurtlu Havuç Ezmesi

Carrot Salad with Garlic Yogurt “Raki” is an anise based drink that is unofficially considered to be the national drink of Turkey. Raki is not just […]
May 28, 2012

Pickled Beets – Pancar Turşusu

Pickled Beets Another easy, healthy recipe. Like other colorful root vegetables, beets are very good for you. Beets are rich in folic acid, calcium, iron and […]
May 24, 2012

Zucchini Fritters – Mücver

Zucchini Fritters – Mücver Who knew zucchini tasted so good? Start with zucchini, add a bunch of herbs, add eggs and flour, then fry them to […]
May 20, 2012

Swiss Chard Rolls with Bulgur Stuffing – Bulgurlu Pazi Dolmasi

Swiss Chard Rolls with Bulgur Stuffing Ingredients: 2 bunches of Swiss Chards (about 12 leaves) 3 cups boiling water 1 ½ cup No1(fine) or No 2 […]
May 13, 2012

Yogurt Dip with Walnuts & Herbs – Haydari

Haydari – Yogurt Dip with Walnuts and Herbs Haydari – Yogurt Dip with Walnuts & Herbs Haydari is a typical meze (appetizer) made with strained (thick) […]
May 9, 2012

Purslane Salad with Garlic Yogurt

Purslane Salad with Garlic Yogurt Ingredients: 1 bunch purslane (about 1 cup) 1 cup yogurt 2 cloves of garlic, crushed Salt to taste Directions: Nip tender […]
April 22, 2012

Circassian Chicken Salad – Cerkez Tavugu

Circassian Chicken Salad – Cerkez Tavugu This is one of classical mezes (appetizers) of the Ottoman Cuisine. It originates from the Caucasus Mountains where the Circassians […]
April 10, 2012

Celery and Leeks with Garlic Yogurt

Celery and Leeks with Garlic Yogurt Just when you think you’ve tasted all of the Turkish mezes with garlic yogurt, another one shows up on a […]
April 9, 2012

Fruit Salad with Nuts

Fruit Salad with Nuts Ingredients: 1 cup blueberries 1 mango, cubed 1 orange, cubed 3 small mandarin oranges 1 cup strawberries, cut in quarters 1 cup […]
April 1, 2012

White Bean Salad – Piyaz

Piyaz – Classic Piyaz – Antalya Style Piyaz is usually a bean salad, mostly of white beans, with lots of onions and parsley, olive oil & […]
March 14, 2012

Mung Bean Salad – Maş Fasulyesi Piyazi

Mung Bean Salad – Maş Fasulyesi Piyazi Piyaz in general is a bean salad with chopped onions and herbs in an olive oil – vinegar dressing. […]
March 9, 2012

Red Cabbage Salad

Red Cabbage Salad In the summer of 2009, we went on a 3 day bus trip with our friends from high school to Amasra, a small […]
March 5, 2012

Black Eyed Peas & Peppers in Olive Oil

Black Eyed Peas & Peppers in Olive Oil Here’s a simple dish that could be eaten hot or cold, either by itself or as a side […]
February 28, 2012

Pink Sultan – Beet Dip with Garlic Yogurt

Pink Sultan – Pembe Sultan Here’s a meze bursting with color and flavor. Its almost florescent pink color comes from the beets. When one day, my […]
February 20, 2012

Zucchini Dip with Garlic Yogurt

Zucchini Dip with Garlic Yogurt This is a “meze”, an appetizer, usually served as one of the side dishes that accompany a typical “raki dinner table” […]
February 17, 2012

Lady’s Thigh Meat Paddies – Kadin Budu Kofte

Lady’s Thigh Paddies – Kadin Budu Kofte This is a kind of kofte (meat paddies or meatballs) that is made with ground beef and rice. Turkish […]
February 10, 2012

Black Eyed Peas Salad – Borulce Piyazi

Black Eyed Peas Salad – Borulce Piyazi Piyaz is a kind of salad or meze that is made from some kind of dry beans, onions, parsley, […]
February 7, 2012

Oruk

Oruk – Meat and Bulgur Patties Oruk – Meat and Bulgur Patties: Before talking about ORUK, let’s first talk about BULGUR, the main ingredient in Oruk […]
January 4, 2012

Sautéed Mushrooms in Olive Oil

Sautéed Mushrooms in Olive Oil This is one of the rare olive oil dishes from my kitchen that the directions does not start with “sauté onions […]
December 9, 2011

Roasted Eggplant Salad

Roasted Eggplant Salad    When people see me buying eggplants at the supermarket, sometimes they ask “how do you cook them?, do you steam or stir […]
July 11, 2011

Potato Rollups

Potato Rollups This is one of my “California meets Turkey” recipes. Boiled, mashed potatoes are used as filling for many Turkish savory pastries along with cheese […]
June 11, 2011

Walnut-Apricot Cheese Ball with Green Apples

  At my friend Mary’s party she had a log of delicious cheese with dried apricots. She served it with slices of green apples. I decided […]
June 11, 2011

MUHAMMARA: Spicy Walnut Dip

MUHAMMARA – Spicy Walnut Dip from Antep, Southeastern Turkey Muhammara with pita bread This recipe is from my mother-in-law Nevzat Ari, a retired art teacher. She […]
June 11, 2011

BOREK: Savory Cheese Pastry Squares

Savory Pastry Squares: BOREK This is a recipe from my dear late father-in-law, Vakif Ari who had many “signature dishes” from borek to omlettes, salads, and […]