Highlights From Bodrum’S Tertiary Annual Karaova Grape Harvest Festival

I can’t believe that it’s already been to a greater extent than than a calendar month since I was inwards Bodrum, Turkey, for the 3^rd Annual Karaova Grape Harvest Festival.

This fantastic foodie event, held inwards September inwards the Mumcular Park, highlighted non alone the local crops of the surrounding rich agricultural lands, simply also the local Turkish traditions as well as customs. The three-day festival provided an first-class chance to larn to a greater extent than most these traditional ways as well as for me to pass some fourth dimension basking inwards Turkish hospitality as well as supporting a wonderful cause. The lawsuit was organized yesteryear Karaova-Der, a local association nether the leadership of Ali Öztürk, along amongst Slow Food Bodrum as well as the Bodrum municipality.

This week, I learned from swain blogger Annie of Back to Bodrum that the lawsuit was considered a success, amongst a xxx per centum growth inwards participants as well as visitors. That’s wonderful news!

Since I come upward from a farm-based background as well as professionally operate every bit a pastry chef, I am a work solid believer inwards using local as well as seasonal products similar the ones promoted at the festival. I was honored to last a invitee chef at the event, helping guess the nutrient contender as well as doing a cooking demo of my recipe for a Fig Tart amongst a Turkish Twist. Let me know if you lot plow over my recipe a go!

And forthwith some highlights from the 3^rd Annual Karaova Grape Harvest Festival:

The festival kicked off on the start black amongst announcements yesteryear local officials as well as traditional Turkish dances held inwards the original Bodrum foursquare or meydan. I loved the local dresses which are typical of the Aegean portion inwards Turkey!

On Saturday, I met upward amongst a friendly grouping of Turkish bloggers as well as writers to pass a 24-hour interval at the festival. Although my Turkish has acquire a combat rusty these final few years, I nevertheless am able to communicate inwards my bir az Türkçe, as well as my yeni arkadaşlar were quite welcoming. 

At the festival, I met several local farmers as well as women who brand a living yesteryear selling their create as well as spices or yesteryear making dolls, jams, compotes, sauces, scarves, placemats as well as tablecloths, wooden serving spoons as well as more. I had a wonderful fourth dimension wandering around the festival, admiring as well as sampling diverse goodies yesteryear the numerous stallholders.

I bought this beautiful bluish scarf from this local lady who said the scarf matched yesteryear bluish eyes. What a sweetie!

I couldn’t resist taking a photograph amongst this local farmer!
He was as well as then jovial! I bought some spices as well as dried herbs from him.

One of the bloggers, Suleyman Dilsiz of Istanbul did a presentation most cooking fish. He has published ii cookbooks: “Kılçıksız Balık” (about fish) as well as “Kahvaltıya Dair Her Şey” (about breakfast). 

In the evening, I helped guess the nutrient contender which included traditional Turkish recipes made yesteryear local cooks inwards 3 categories: Zeytinyağlılar (olive stone oil dishes), Tatlılar (desserts) as well as Börekler (savory pastries made from sparse phyllo dough). The catch of the nutrient contender was to assist promote traditional recipes as well as to hopefully pose out them all inwards a pocket-sized booklet. I had no catch that judging a nutrient contender would last somewhat hard as well as filling at the end. Adding upward all the proper points for each category took time. But I was really honored to participate along amongst Asli Mutlu of Cooking Classes Bodrum, Oya Emerk of Oya’s Cuisine inwards Istanbul, as well as ii local residents.

After nosotros had counted the results, the winners posed for photos amongst Asli Mutlu, Oya Emerk as well as myself. What a wonderful event!

You tin plow over the sack read to a greater extent than most the nutrient contender as well as its winners written yesteryear Turkish blogger Arzu of Vanilins.com.

Baking inwards Bodrum at the Karaova Festival

On Sunday, I returned to festival because it was showtime! Even though I’ve given dozens as well as dozens of cooking classes over the years, I was nevertheless a combat nervous because I was talking inwards front end of a mainly Turkish-speaking crowd. No demand to fear! One of the volunteers from Slow Food Bodrum helped interpret every bit I spoke inwards English. I felt to a greater extent than relaxed every bit I talked most i of my favorite tart recipes as well as looked out as well as saw several familiar as well as grinning faces inwards the crowd.

Asli  of Cooking Classes Bodrum introduced me at the event.

I personally met Ali Öztürk of Karaova-Der as well as humbly received a lovely accolade from him.

At the terminate of my presentation, I gave out samples of my delicious fig as well as grape tart as well as spoke amongst some of the audience members. Again, it was an honour to last at the Karaova Festival as well as verbalise most baking.

I’m as well as then thankful to accept met all these wonderful Turkish bloggers as well as for providing me amongst some of these photos.

I’m already hoping that I tin plow over the sack brand some other trip to Turkey inwards 2018! And don’t immature lady side yesteryear side year’s Karaova Festival inwards Bodrum!

This lawsuit would non accept been possible without the back upward of these friends as well as sponsors, as well as then particular cheers goes to:

·       *Asli Mutlu of Cooking Classes Bodrum 

·       *Oya Emerk of Oya’s Cuisine 

·       *Slow Food Bodrum 

*Karaova-Der

·      * Akustik Turizm for providing transportation.

·       *Hotel Marma Beach for providing lodging.

To larn to a greater extent than most Turkish food, delight see some of these Turkish bloggers’ websites:

·       * Sibel Yalcin 

·       * Arzu Goncü Hangül of Vanilins.com 

·       * Birgül Erdogan 

·       * Hacer Sener 

·       * Leyla Kılıç 

·       * Emel Akan 

·       * Nur Hayat 

·       * Serkan Karagoz