Kevser's interview
Interview by GitanjaliWe interviewed Kevser!
Visit the blog: Turkish Style Cooking.
Hello Kevser, so tell us...
When did you begin your blog, and what inspired you to start it?
I started my first blog where I share my recipes in Turkish in 2008. Ever since I have always wanted to translate my recipes in English and go worldwide. But I couldn't make time for it until March 2014. When I decided to go in English I knew that it would take a lot of time, because I have more than 1000 recipes. But I found that courage in myself. So far I have translated most of my recipes and continue to add daily recipes at the same time as my original blog. My inner drive for blogging is my passion for sharing and helping people.
Can you introduce Turkish cuisine to our readers? What are some classic dishes?
Turkish cuisine is generally known for its kebabs. But kebabs are only a tiny part of our cuisine. It varies from region to region but our vegetable dishes cooked with olive oil, for example imam bayildi which is basically made with eggplant, onions and tomatoes, is one of the leading dishes in Turkish cuisine. Manti, a kind of ravioli filled with ground beef is one of the favorite dishes of Turkish people. Our desserts made with milk such as sütlac (rice pudding) or made with syrup such as baklava (most known in the world I think) are very common. When we look at pastries and boreks , the sky is the limit. There are more than a hundred kinds of pastry and borek; they are generally filled with cheese, potatoes, ground beef or vegetables.
What are your culinary influences?
My mom is the biggest influence in my kitchen I think. I started cooking when I was 6 years old with my mom. I learned most of the things from her and am still learning. But when I look at it from a wider perspective I think the formation of Turkish cuisine is the biggest influence in every Turk's kitchen. Turkey is placed in a very critical geographical position in terms of culinary variety. In the West it is affected by Mediterranean and Balkan cuisine. In the East, Arabic, Syrian and Lebanese cuisines have large effects on Turkish cuisine. In the North, Russian and Georgian dishes have slightly entered our kitchens. Briefly put, Turkish cuisine is a good blend of various culinary styles and this interaction is reflected to everyone in the kitchen in Turkey. For example I was born in Thrace and now live in Ankara. You can see a Balkan touch in my middle Anatolian dishes.
What Turkish dish would you recommend for someone to cook if they want to start experimenting with Turkish cuisine?
I recommend milk desserts
first. They are easy to cook and very delicious. It is a good start to warm up with Turkish cuisine. For example Tavuk Gogsu (Chicken Breast Dessert) is a good starting point.
What is your earliest food memory?
When I was 6 years old the only thing I could cook by myself was a dessert made with chocolate pudding and biscuits. One day I made this dessert to surprise my parents. I tasted it and it was the best I had ever made until that day. So I was very exited to see my parents eat it. I went out to meet my friends. A couple of hours later I returned home and saw that my cat had eaten all of the dessert. I was so sad for the dessert and scared that something would happen to my cat. Thank God my cat survived. That incident taught me to put desserts in the fridge:)
Do you have a secret ingredient, a product you use a lot that is unexpected or that helps you save time?
In Turkish cuisine most of the main dishes are made with roasted onions and tomato paste. I add a little ground red pepper to this combination. It enhances the taste and gives a better colour to the dishes.
Is there any dish, ingredient or type of food you refuse to cook? Or anything that you refuse to eat?
There are two things I can't eat. The first one is a traditional street food called kokorec, which is made from lamb intestines. It smells really good but doesn't taste perfect for me. The second thing is mussels. I refuse to eat it, because they are defenseless against humans. They can't run away. I find it monstrous to eat an animal that can't defend itself against you or run away.
What are your goals for your blog? Where would you like to see it in the next year? Five years?
I would like to see higher numbers of visitors and social media fans. When I see that people really like my recipes I am willing to build a mobile app in English (I have one in Turkish) and also start to publish my Turkish food and lifestyle magazine in English.
My worst food flop was...
Once I forgot to add baking powder in one of my desserts. I realized it 15 mins. after I put it in the oven. It was a painful wait to see it come out of the oven. Surprisingly it was not a mess. But it wasn't the best dessert I had ever made. Since than I always ask myself "did you add baking powder?" before baking anything.
Thank you Kevser for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Gitanjali - 09/16/2014
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