Today we explain what meze are in Turkey, as we refer to them constantly in the food-related posts on our blog, but we had not yet devoted an in-depth article to them. The time has come and, surely after reading it, your desire to try them will grow during your trip around the country.
The concept of meze
Put simply, meze in Turkey are like tapas or appetizers in Spain: traditional dishes served in small portions, intended to be eaten according to each person’s tastes. However, the culture around them is different, as are the culinary offerings that are served.
The word meze seems to come from the Persian mazze, meaning “flavor”, and we find similar words and concepts in other countries in the Middle East, especially those that were under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, including some in Europe. Two very different examples are Jordan and Greece.
Examples of meze
The list of meze in Turkey is, quite simply, endless. Any dish can become a meze! Some are very elaborate dishes with spices, while others are traditional foods from the country served as they are or with only minor variations, for example in the seasoning. However, there are certainly some signature meze that rarely disappoint. Here is a list:
- Mercimek Köftesi: a kind of lentil meatballs
- Deniz Börülcesi: made with samphire, a type of sea vegetable
- Çerkes Tavuk: shredded Circassian chicken with walnuts
- Çıroz: smoked mackerel
- Paçanga Börek: a meat and cheese pastry
- İçli Köfte: fried meatballs stuffed with bulgur and potatoes
- Karides Güveç: shrimp casserole sautéed in butter and garlic
- Dolma: a word meaning “stuffed” that covers many dishes, such as peppers stuffed with rice
- Cured meats such as pastirma (cured beef) or sucuk (the local sausage)
- … and many other vegetable-based preparations, with ingredients such as eggplant, cucumber, or tomato, such as ezme
There are also sauces, which are considered meze in their own right, sometimes with a thick, purée-like texture: this is the case with different types of hummus (chickpea dip) or fava (broad bean purée), as well as different types of yogurt such as haydari (with leben, herbs, and garlic). And to enjoy them, there is nothing better than using bread as an accompaniment, such as pita bread, cornbread, or zaatar bread with spices.
As you can see, all of these are “savory” meze or have other nuances, but not sweet as such, because Turkish culture already has another culinary icon for that: lokum, or Turkish delight.
How and where to eat them: meze culture
Eating meze in Turkey is a true cultural tradition. It can be said that the most traditional way to enjoy them is in the context of a family or friends’ gathering, for which the hosts have prepared (sometimes over several hours) all these small dishes. They are served on a large table, and each diner helps themselves to whatever they fancy… without rushing, because what is truly interesting here is conversation, extending the gathering with no set end time.
For a traveler visiting Turkey, naturally, this option is difficult to arrange. However, there are many venues specializing in meze. They are restaurants or taverns called meyhane, where the atmosphere is often more relaxed than in a classic restaurant, and in some cases diners may be surprised with music between the tables.
In addition, in recent years, experiences designed for international travelers have emerged, such as meze tastings in a special setting (for example, on the Bosphorus Strait) or cooking workshops offering masterclasses to learn how to prepare some of the most famous meze.
