Turkish Cuisine, now one of the most famous and popular cuisines in the world, has a rich history, closely connected to the history of the Turkish people, who came with their Central Asian culture (including their food) to Anatolia. On the way, they discovered many new aspects of food culture (for example from the Arabs and the peoples of the Indian sub-continent), which they added to their cuisine, and when they arrived they also absorbed many more from the rich history of the civilizations who had inhabited Anatolia before them (e.g. from the Hittites to the Romans).

Turkish cuisine is not only rich in its varieties of flavors, cooking methods, ways of presentation and serving, but also has the great advantage, in the current world wide climate of concern that good eating habits should be promoted, of providing healthy nutrition in the way the dishes are combined. For example, hearty meals comprised of meat, vegetables, pilaf (rice), buttermilkcacik (made of yoghurt, water and cucumber) provide a balanced diet since the four basic food groups d for an adequate diet (milk, meat, cereal and fruit and vegetables) are ali found in the same meal.

It should also be pointed out that within Turkish Cuisine there is a large portion of the Mediterranean diet that has been widely promoted by doctors and dieticians throughout the world as being a very healthy diet - a diet that protects people against obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure and problems with digestion. A Turkish/Mediterranean diet is high in the consumption of olive oil, dried beans and fresh fruit and vegetables. in other words food that is fighting the battle against poor nutrition in the modern world.

The book in your hand is one that has been prepared through careful selection of recipes from ali the thousands of delicious dishes that make up our wonderful and various Turkish Cuisine. We hope this book will serve to introduce the Turkish cuisine to ali the chefs and the cooks and ali the people who are interested in discovering the pleasures of Turkish food and food culture ali around the world.