Another coin to the piggy bank of observations about how much culinary traditions and addictions really affect our lives.
Several years ago, for the first time, I persuaded my business partners (doctors, I will specify) to come to Moscow for a few days and work. Since his activities are associated with carrying out, albeit simple, but operations, and enough We could not find qualified assistants, then together with the doctor all his operating team.
And the very next day, in the morning, I realized that it is not enough to provide the invited "star" with a work space that fully meets his requirements, and conditions for living.
Because the faces of my Turks in the morning turned out to be sour than sour. People were hungry and, accordingly, annoyed, because they did not receive a normal breakfast, and it was not possible to find a place where they could normally (in their opinion, eat).
Yes, yes, there were no restaurants and cafes with truly authentic (so that everything would match) Turkish cuisine. And now no. All the same, establishments that operate outside the "home country" are guided by the taste of those who are served daily.
They will ask me - what is the problem, are there really no products in stores and markets? I answer: there are products, and you can buy them. And, on the next visits, we began to plan the menu in advance... And I am writing not at all to say “in Moscow, visitors have nothing to eat”, no.
I just want to emphasize again how eating habits affect us.
Namely, breakfast.
For me (and many of the readers, as I have already seen), breakfast is porridge, yogurt, a sandwich, an egg - that is, something light, but not too bright in taste.
For the Turks - oooh, breakfast! This meal is far from easy. And the products that they use traditionally, I can only admit it as "breakfast".
The basis of a Turkish breakfast is a lot of vegetables - fresh, tasty. Tomatoes, cucumbers, olives are a must. At the same time, there should be a lot of bread, because the accompaniment is cheeses - white, pickled, salty, with a pronounced taste. And very often on the Turkish breakfast table, marinated fish (anchovy, probably). Small, sprat-like.
And, most importantly, a lot of everything.
Eggs in different species are secondary. But yogurt with herbs is almost a must on the menu.
Only after the Turks are thoroughly refreshed will sweet pastries and tea (and more often than one glass) will be used.
I’m a real Turkish breakfast - I’m not able to master it, but if I do, I’ll swallow pills and feel not very good all day. And to them - the opposite. Without this, tomorrow is not a day because you go hungry!