CHAPTER XIII.FOOD.A Turkish Kitchen—Turkish Meals—Dinner—Coffee—European Innovations—Turkish Cookery—The Sultan’s Kitchen—Turkish Gourmets—Economy of Food—Hospitality—Greek and Bulgarian Food—Lent Dishes—European Manners among the Greeks—Armenian Gluttony—Marriages with Cooks—Jewish Food—A Bulgarian Ménage—Experiences of a Dinner in the Opium Country—Refreshment to Visitors—Tatlou—Sherbet—Coffee—Wine and Spirits—Recipe for Making Coffeeà la Turca—Milk—Cheese—Sour Cream—A Diplomatic Coup—Cook-shops.
A Turkish Kitchen—Turkish Meals—Dinner—Coffee—European Innovations—Turkish Cookery—The Sultan’s Kitchen—Turkish Gourmets—Economy of Food—Hospitality—Greek and Bulgarian Food—Lent Dishes—European Manners among the Greeks—Armenian Gluttony—Marriages with Cooks—Jewish Food—A Bulgarian Ménage—Experiences of a Dinner in the Opium Country—Refreshment to Visitors—Tatlou—Sherbet—Coffee—Wine and Spirits—Recipe for Making Coffeeà la Turca—Milk—Cheese—Sour Cream—A Diplomatic Coup—Cook-shops.
A Turkish kitchen is a spacious building, roughly constructed, and, in the dwellings of the rich, generally detached from the rest of the house. A deep arched opening made in the wall facing the door forms the foundation of the cooking-range, which is raised about three feet from the ground and consists of a row ofOgaks—holes with grates in them over a sort of ash-bed, where theKebab, or roast, is cooked and the smaller dishes kept warm. A sink of a primitive description occupies one side of the kitchen, and a plate-rack, containing the cooking utensils, another. The side facing the house is of open lattice-work; the floor is invariably of stone. Great attention is paid to keeping the culinary utensils, which are all of copper, clean and bright; but order and neatness in other respects are entirely disregarded, and there are few of those arrangements that render an English kitchen such a pleasant and interestingapartment. A tin lamp, such as has been used from time immemorial, is hung at one side of the chimney, and gives but a very dim light.
The kitchen is generally included in the department of the Haremlik, and is presided over by one or two negresses, who make very good cooks. The fresh provisions are purchased daily by theAyvas, or purveyor, generally an Armenian, and passed in through theDulap, a revolving cupboard in the wall between the Haremlik and Selamlik, used for most communications between the two departments; a loud knock on either side being answered by a servant who comes to hear what is wanted.
The Turks have two meals a day; one,kahvalto, between ten and eleven, and the other,yemek, at sunset. One or two cups of black coffee is all they lake in the early morning. The dinner is brought into the dining-room of the Haremlik on a large circular copper tray, and deposited on the floor; a similar tray is placed on a stool and covered with a common calico cloth. On this are placed a number of saucers containinghors d’œuvres, a salt-cellar, a pepper-box, and a portion of bread for each person. A leather pad occupies the centre, on which the dishes are placed in succession, and the company sit cross-legged round the tray. Dinner is announced by a slave—the hostess leads the way into theYemek oda, or dining-room. Servants approach and pour water over the hands fromIbriks, or curious ewers, holdingLeyens, or basins, to catch it as it falls; others offer towels as napkins to use during the meal. As many as eight or ten persons can sit round these trays. The hostess, if she be of higher rank than her guests, is the first to dip her spoon into the soup-tureen, politely inviting them to do the same; if her rank be inferior to that of any one of her guests, they are invited to take precedence.
Turkish soups resemble very thick broth, and are altogether unlike those found on European tables. After the soup has been sparingly partaken of, it is removed on a sign from the hostess and replaced by the other dishes in succession. The sweets are eaten between the courses. The left hand is used to convey the food to the mouth, the thumb and two first fingers doing the duty of forks.
It is considered a mark of great attention on the part of the hostess to pick up the daintiest bit of food, and place it in the mouth of any of her guests.Pilaf, the national dish, composed principally of rice, andHochaf(stewed fruits, iced), are the last dishes placed on the table. Pure water is the only drink allowed in theHaremlik, and is handed, when required, in tumblers held by slaves standing behind the company. Before leaving theYemek oda, theIbriksandLeyensare again resorted to. On re-entering the drawing-room, coffee and cigarettes are immediately handed round. The way in which coffee is served is one of the prettiest of the old Turkish customs. All the slaves and attendants enter the rooms and stand at the lower end with folded arms. The coffee-pot and cup-stands of gold or silver are placed on a tray held by theKalfa, or head-servant; attached to the tray is an oval crimson cloth, richly worked with gold. The coffee is poured out, and the cups offered separately by the other servants, who again retire to the lower end of the room till they are required to take the empty cups.
On my last visit to the capital I found many changes, and noticed that many European customs had been adopted in some of the principal houses, tables and chairs having replaced the dinner-trays in most of them, and even a complete European dinner-service might in some houses be found in use. I happened to visit a Pasha’s harem, and was invited to stay to luncheon; on being ushered into the dining room, I was agreeably surprised to find myself in a spacious apartment, furnished in the European style, and surrounded on three sides by a lovely garden where the rose, the jasmine, and the orange blossomed in profusion, breathing their delicious perfume into the room through the open windows. Three tables, richly laid, stood in the room; a large one, occupying the centre, and two smaller ones in corners. The centre one was reserved for theHanoumand such of her guests as were entitled by their rank to be admitted to her table, the second for her daughter and her young companions, and the third for guests of an inferior degree. The luncheon went off very well, although one or two of the company appeared little accustomed to the use of knives and forks, which they held, indeed, in their hands, but, forgetful of the fact, conveyed the food to their mouths with their fingers, and consequently made a few scratches on their noses. Thismaladresseoccasioning some merriment to the others, these offenders against European customs laid down the dangerous implements and took to their own method of eating, a very good one of its kind and demanding much more skill than the European manner. There is a neatness in the Turkish way of manipulating the food that can only be acquired by care and long practice; the thumb and two fingers alone must touch the meat, the rest of the hand remaining perfectly clean and free from contact with it.
Another incident of an amusing nature would have tended to increase our merriment had not Turkish equanimity imposed upon us the necessity of ignoring it. Mustard, an unusual condiment on a Turkish table, was handed round, perhaps in honor of my presence. An old lady, not knowing what it was, took a spoonful, and before any one had time to interfere, had swallowed it. Her face became crimson, tears ran down her cheeks, she sneezed and appeared choking; but at last, with a supreme effort, she regained her composure, and looked as pleasant as circumstances would allow.
The use of knives and forks, though fast becoming general among the higher classes at Stamboul, is not yet much introduced into the interior. During my residence in one of the provincial towns of European Turkey, these articles were occasionally borrowed from me by a rich bey for his grand entertainments. The forks I lent were electro-plate; but when they were returned I found silver ones among them, and discovered that, some of mine having been stolen or lost, the bey had them copied by native workmen.
The most refined Turkish cookery is not costly; the materials consist of mutton, fowl, fish, flour, rice, milk, honey, sugar, vegetables, and fruit. All the dishes are cooked in clarified butter in a simple manner, and fat or oil is seldom used. The average number of dishes sent to table in a wealthy house is nine at each meal. The meat is always over-cooked and badly served, except the lamb roasted whole, stuffed with rice and pistachios, and theKebab. The latter consists of small pieces of meat cooked on skewers, and served on aPeta, a species of batter pudding. Another favorite dish is theImam Baildi, or “The Imam fainted;” it is composed of aubergines and onions cooked in oil, and has the following rather vapid little history attached to it. An Imam stole some oil from the mosque in his care, the whole of which his ingenious wife used in cooking a dish she had just invented. This was being partaken of with much relish by the Imam till he was informed that all the oil had been consumed in its preparation, when he immediately fainted. Some of these dishes are excellent, and are relished even by Europeans.
TwoSofras, or tables, are furnished by the cook at each meal; one for theHaremlikand the other for theSelamlik. After the master and mistress have left the tables the servants take the vacant seats. The supply is unlimited, and much waste and extravagance ensue, owing to the number of guests of high and low degree that are always expected to drop in to dinner.
During Abdul-Medjid’s reign I visited the imperial kitchen, an immense establishment, giving employment to 500 cooks and scullions. Among some curious details I learnt respecting this department, one referring to the functions of the head-cook may not be uninteresting. This unfortunate individual was chained to the stove by being obliged to provide an hourly meal for the Sultan, whose repasts depended upon his caprice, and who required that food should be ready for him at any moment.
Abdul-Aziz was an enormous eater, and a great gourmet; he was often known to empty a dish of six eggs cooked in butter, withPastourmah, a kind of dried meat, in a few minutes.
It was one of his peculiarities to throw his food at the heads of his ministers when displeased with them, and this favorite dish often experienced that fate. During the latter part of his reign his meals were prepared in the harem, under the superintendence of the Validé Sultana, who enveloped every dish in crape, and tied and sealed it with her own seal before sending it into the Selamlik.
Another illustrious man, A⸺ K⸺ Pasha, surpassed his august sovereign in gluttony; while in Albania, I was assured by more than one eye-witness that he frequently consumed the whole of a stuffed lamb at a meal.
Bread forms the fundamental part of a poor man’s food; with it he eatskattuk, which comprises cheese, treacle, halva, fruit, onions, garlic, etc., etc. Fruit is extremely cheap and good, and is largely consumed by all classes. Poor families can subsist upon from a shilling to one and sixpence a day.
In the Turkish quarter, where the rich live side by side with the poor, the latter have often the opportunity of eating a good dinner; they have only to drop in at the rich man’s door, and hospitality is at once extended to them. This kind of charity, however, is greatly on the decrease, owing, no doubt, to the financial embarrassment generally felt throughout the country.
The kitchen department, both in Greek and Bulgarian families, is superintended by the mistress of the house, who orders dinner, and daily or weekly regulates the expenses.
The food of the middle classes of the Christians differs only from that of the Turks in the addition of the Lent dishes. During this period the poorer orders consume more garlic, onions, olives, and dried fish.
The Greeks appear to have been the first of the natives of this country to adopt the custom of eating with knives and forks and making their meals at a table. Except in wealthy houses in the capital, their table arrangements are very deficient and inelegant; till very recently the napkins and table-cloths were either home-woven or made of unbleached calico. The knives and forks were of steel and iron, clumsy productions from Austria and Bohemia, and the glass and crockery from the same countries were of uncouth forms, sold at high prices. The competition in the sale of these articles that France and England have of late years established in the country has not only created a marked improvement in the quality of these necessaries, but has also reduced their prices and brought them within the reach of all. Most families are possessed of a certain amount of table silver, in the shape of forks, spoons, etc.; these are, however, being replaced by electro-plate, now abundantly introduced.
The Jews and Armenians have many strange and interesting customs in the matter of eating. The Armenians are renowned for their gluttony and extreme fondness for good things. Until lately they took their meals in a manner very similar to the Turks. They would use their knives and forks to a certainextent, but their fingers much more. The lower orders still sit on the floor round a table about eight inches high. Their dishes, with the addition of a few national ones, resemble those of the Turks, and they are famous for the manufacture of very rich sweets of various kinds. The kitchen, being the most important department in an Armenian house, demands the daily supervision of both master and mistress; the former has the supreme voice in selecting the dishes, and the latter often takes an active part in their preparation. I knew a wealthy Armenian who married the daughter of his cook in order to secure the permanent services of the mother. He assured me of the perfect bliss the alliance had brought him in the possession of a pretty wife and the daily enjoyment of thedolmasmade by his mother-in-law. Some time ago a well-known and wealthy Englishman fell in love with and married a worthless Armenian girl, having seen her, from a neighboring house, preparing the same dish. He had, however, reason to repent thus making his appetite his only consideration; life became no longer endurable with such an unsympathetic helpmate, and he absconded and returned to his native land, it is to be hoped a wiser man.
The Jews in the East observe, with the greatest strictness, all the outward forms of their religion, and particularly those relating to food, whose preparation is regulated by a great many strange and complicated laws.
All flesh isTourfa, or unclean, unless the animal has been killed in the presence of a Rabbi, who hands to the butcher a special knife (after having examined the animal in order to ascertain if it be clean or unclean) with which he must sever the windpipe at a single stroke; should he fail to do so the animal is considered unclean and cannot be eaten. Even in case of success, parts of the flesh only are acceptable to them, and all the fat adhering to the muscles must be removed before it is cooked. Cheese, wine, and sundry other provisions are not considered clean unless made by Israelites; butter is seldom bought, and only when sold in skins with the hairy side turned inwards. Six hours must elapse before a Hebrew can touch cheese, milk, or butter after having partaken of meat, though he is at liberty to eat meat directly after these. The dishes are cooked in sesame oil, an ingredient that renders them quite distasteful to any but Jewish palates; this oil is also used for making pastry, which is very heavy and indigestible. In fact, their cookery is so peculiar and unpalatable that when a Jew entertains Gentiles he generally resorts to foreign dishes. When a Turk or Christian wishes to extend his hospitality to an Israelite, he is obliged to have most of the food prepared by a cook of the Hebrew faith.
A duty on all that isTourfais imposed by the Rabbi of each community; this tax, amounting to a considerable sum, is set apart for charitable purposes, and for the support of schools for the poor. It is, on the whole, a strange kind of charity, for after all it is only taking the money out of the pockets of the poor in one form to give it back to them in another, and the tax falls heavily on the Jewish communities, since they are principally composed of poor people. Several attempts have been made by them, especially in Salonika, to have it removed, but hitherto their efforts have been fruitless.
The hospitality of the Jews is, with a few exceptions, limited to members of their own race, and even then not very largely practised. The customs of the Israelites who have received a European education differ very little from those of the Franks.
During the numerous journeys I have had occasion to make in Turkey I have always found genuine and hearty hospitality offered to me both by Turks and Christians. I generally accepted that of the latter, as it is more in unison with our own customs and habits. Every effort was made on the part of my entertainers to please me and anticipate my wants, and I have often been both delighted and surprised to find in the heart of barbarous little towns such comforts as a bedstead, basin, and table service, besides other articles, the use of which did not always appear quite clear to their possessors. In one Bulgarian house, for instance, I was offered wine in a feeding-bottle, which was handed in turn to the rest of the company. This ludicrous utensil would probably have been refused if fate had not ordained me to be the first baby to drink from it.
As a contrast to this incident I must not forget to mention one of a far superior order. Passing through Sofia, I put up at the house of a wealthy Bulgarian Chorbadji; it was a large building, pretty comfortably furnished, and very neat and clean in appearance. Scarcely had I rested the needful time after my journey and partaken ofSlatko, or preserved fruit, and coffee, when my hostess came to ask if I were not desirous of taking a bath of milk and rose-water. This proposal, denoting such a high standard of luxury, took me by surprise, and my desire to know its origin exceeded the wish of taking immediate advantage of it. The question had to be solved, and I thought the best way of explaining it would be to ask my hostess if this was an indispensable part of the toilet of theélite. It was now her turn to look surprised. “Oh, dear no,Gospoyer,” she exclaimed, “I made the offer believing it to be one of your own customs, as two English maidens who lodged in my house some time ago daily made use of what they called ‘a most refreshing and indispensable luxury.’ Oh, dear no, Gospoyer,” she repeated, “we are too thrifty a people to think of wasting a quantity of good milk that could be converted into so much cheese and butter; but you Franks are an extravagant race.” There was a good deal of truth in what she said, so, making a compromise in these good things, I willingly accepted the offer of the rose-water, which is plentiful in the town, as Sofia is not far from the principal rose-growing districts.
Autre pays, autres mœurs.During a flying visit I paid to Kara Hissar, in Asia Minor, I took up my quarters at the house of an opium-growing grandee. The dinner offered to me was good, and even refined, but for a slight but peculiar flavor to which I was unaccustomed; I partook of it heartily, and afterwards, in order to please my hostess, accepted a cigarette. Presently I felt a strange languor creeping over me, my head whirled, my ears began to tingle, my eyesight dimmed, and, my eyelids heavily closing, I soon found myself in the fool’s paradise of opium-eaters. All sorts of sweet dreams took possession of my imagination, crossed by the most ludicrous thoughts and desires. I imagined that trains were running down my arms; next my travelling-boots, which I had exchanged for slippers, attracted my attention, and although not very large, they took to my deluded vision the proportions of a grotto, towards which I made a desperate rush, and soon felt exhausted with the efforts I made to enter it. My hostess took the form of a rat, from whose presence I vainly tried to escape; I went towards the open window, where the pure night-air somewhat refreshed me, and the twinkle of the myriad bright stars raised my mind to higher thoughts, and sensations of an indescribably delicious character took possession of me. I became poetical, and surprised my entertainers by my declamations which, needless to say, were quite unintelligible to them. I finally retired to rest, and sleep overtaking me consigned all to oblivion. On awaking next morning, I felt very uncomfortable; in fact, I was ill. The meal of which I had partaken had been cooked in poppy-oil, always used for the purpose in that part of the country, and said not to have any effect on the inhabitants, who are accustomed to it from childhood. The cigarette, it appeared, was also strongly impregnated with the same narcotic. Let my experience be a warning to travellers in the opium-growing country.
It is the custom throughout Turkey to offer as refreshment theTatlou, a rich kind of preserve made from fruits, or flowers such as roses, lilies, violets, and orange-blossoms. It is brought in soon after the entrance of a visitor. The service used for the purpose may be of the most costly or of the simplest description; that used in Turkish harems is always of some precious metal, and comprises a salver, two preserve basins, a double spoon-basket, and a number of goblets and spoons. The edge of the salver, like that used for the coffee, is surrounded by a gold-embroidered cloth; the slave who offers it does so on bended knee.
In addition to theTatlou, in Turkish Konaks, sherbet, immediately followed by coffee, is offered to visitors when about to leave or when the hostess is desirous of being relieved of their company. This beverage is made from the juices of fruits, cooled with ice; it is brought in on a tray in goblets. A number of slaves holding richly embroidered napkins (on one end of which the goblet is placed, resting on the palm of the hand), offer the cup to the guests, who wipe their lips on the other end. A fermented drink, calledBoza, made from millet seed, is very largely consumed by the lower orders; it is of two kinds,tatlouandekshi, sweet and sour. The latter, possessing intoxicating properties, is thick and muddy, and has a peculiar earthy taste.
Wine, both good and abundant, is consumed in moderation by Jews, Christians, and Europeans, and of late years “La Jeune Turquie” has manifested a decided partiality for it. Turks generally dine in the Selamlik, where those who are addicted to drink (a custom prevalent among the higher orders) begin some hours before the evening meal to partake freely ofmezzeliks, which they wash down with copious draughts ofraki. It is not rare to find Turks who have never tasted wine or spirits in their lives; but one seldom hears of a Turk once addicted to their use who does not nightly make a gross abuse of them, a habit which tends greatly to increase the vices of Turkish society. It is repugnant to point out the many evils that result from such orgies, and would be still more so to illustrate them with the many incidents that have come under my notice.
A true follower of the Prophet will refrain from wine, as prohibited by the Koran. The popular belief about the cause of the prohibition is that Mohammed when on his way to the mosque one day saw a band of his followers, whose happy looks and gay laughter made a pleasant impression upon him. He inquired the cause, and was told that they were lively through having partaken of wine; he approvingly smiled and passed on. On his return the scene of merriment was changed to one of strife and bloodshed, and he was informed that it was the result of drunkenness. He then laid a curse upon the liquor that had occasioned the disaster, and upon all who should thenceforth indulge in it.
Coffee in Turkey is prepared in a manner far superior to that of any other country. I will give the recipe for its preparation for the benefit of any who may like to try it. Water is placed in a peculiarly-shaped coffee-pot with a long handle and a beak-shaped spout. This is pushed sideways against a charcoal fire, and when the water has arrived at the boiling point it is withdrawn, a small quantity of its contents poured into a cup and a few spoonfuls of finely-pulverized coffee (according to the number of cups required) is mixed in the coffee-pot, which is again placed against the fire and the contents gently shaken up once or twice while a thick scum rises on the surface. Before it has time to boil up again it is again withdrawn and the waterthat had been poured out is put back. It is then replaced on the fire, and when finally withdrawn is gently knocked once or twice, and after standing a few moments is poured out and served.
Sugar, not taken by the Turks, may be added before or after boiling. There is some little art required in the making, but the quality of the coffee and the manner in which it is roasted are the most important points. The roasting must be done to a turn, leaving the coffee, when ground, a rich golden brown.
Milk, very plentiful in the country, is made into very indifferent cheese, excellent clotted cream, calledKaymak, and sour cream, calledYaourt. The latter, being very cheap and good, forms a great part of the nourishment of the people; it is prepared and sold in large dairy-pans, which the vendors carry on their heads. One of these pans served some years ago in a practical joke that the gayjeunesseof our Embassy played in the Prince’s Islands on an Armenian tutor, who mentor-like followed three young ladies in their walks, evidently to the dislike of the lively ladies and the scheming young diplomatists, who had made up their minds to steal a kiss from the cheeks of the young beauties should occasion offer. During a meeting of the parties, aYaourtjipassing by at the moment seemed admirably suited for their purpose; one of the gentlemen, famous for his freaks, seized the basin, and poured its contents over the head of the unfortunate tutor, who, blinded by the cream running down his face, was unable to notice what passed.
Ashji Dukyan, or cook-shops, are numerous in all the bazars of Eastern towns. Those at Stamboul have a great reputation, especially theKebabjis, whereKebaband fruit only are sold. The food is served on copper dishes, and the customers sit on stools round little tables in neat gardens attached to the establishments.
TheAshji dukyancontain on one side a long range for cooking, upon which are placed bright copper pans, whence issues the steam from a number of savory dishes. The other side is occupied by a platform, upon which the customers sit cross-legged round lowSofras, to partake of the dishes of their choice plentifully placed before them, accompanied by bread and waterad libitum.