Our Planet’s Landmarks Series #39
Gaziantep Turkey – A UNESCO Gastronomy Creative City
Food is the ambrosia our body craves for. Humans since the stone age have strived towards gathering food for sustenance. Later, it became the symbol for showcasing one’s wealth and social status. Food is the most evolved of basic human needs. So much so we have 26 cities focussed on gastronomy, UNESCO’s Gastronomy Creative Cities. Recently, I visited one such gem – Gaziantep, Turkey. It is one of the two such cities in Turkey.
A Surprise Called Gaziantep
Gaziantep was a surprise. The city is over 5,000 years old. Excavations have shown traces of civilization as old as the 4th millennium BCE here. At the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, 2,300-2,400 years old exquisite mosaics are on display.
But, Gaziantep is not known for this.
It lay in a fertile area on the medieval Silk Route. A cash crops haven, it became a rich hub of specialised food and related items. Plenty of pistachios and spices created some delectable fare. Loved both by natives and the Silk Route travellers. Today, food and related sectors employ over 60% of its 1.9 million population. A little under 50% of the businesses in the city are food-oriented. Here, food symbolises festivity, social bonding, and a dialogue opener.
Gaziantep, The Pistachios City
Gaziantep produces over 60,000 tonnes of pistachios. I spotted more than a score of pistachios varieties in the shops. Elsewhere, being expensive, pistachios are a garnish for the dishes. Here, it is a primary ingredient in many savoury dishes and most desserts. Notable amongst the local pistachios-rich desserts are Kadayif and Baklava.
Over the many meals I had in Gaziantep, a sheer variety of different delicacies awed me. The city is a Mecca for non-vegetarians. Variety exists for lunches and dinners in other places. But Gaziantep offers a plethora of breakfast choices too.
One such breakfast in Orkida stands out. I started off with Turkish tea made over coals. Then, I dug into many vegetarian and non-vegetarian savouries. Pigging over a few pistachios-filled desserts followed. And then I rounded it off with the globally famous Turkish coffee. Not your everyday breakfast fare, you’d agree!
The Making of Baklava
One morning, I had visited Imam Çagdas (Kebap ve Baklava). The most famous Baklava making outlet in Gaziantep. The owners took me up to their kitchen. Calling it a kitchen is an understatement.
In one room, over a dozen traditional chefs were at work. They were creating sheets of white flour, thinner than muslin. The room had a haze of flour. The rolling pins were a yard and a half long. These sheets were being sheared off the pins in delicate layers. And all this, happening on a table over 25 feet long!
After stuffing the pastry layers with pistachios paste, these were being cut into different shapes. Next, these go through the oven. Once golden brown, the pastries were then brought out to the main room. Here, dunked in drippy, sugary syrup, these looked delicious. Next step? Pack and deliver these to the calorie-worshippers.
Enjoyable, I guess. Well if your answer is no, think again. This is the best of Gaziantep, and Turkey, we are talking about!
Unique Museums and More
In a city devoted to gastronomy, I was glad to spot a museum dedicated to the kitchen. That’s right, a Kitchen Museum! This gem has period exhibits of how the locals created their delicious fare. Besides, there are dioramas showcasing the bonding food is.
In the same vicinity, I visited another quaint museum – the Hammam Museum. Turkish baths being what they are, it is hardly surprising they have a museum for it. With figurines depicting elaborate bath rituals. That too, in a place known to luxuriate in indulgent pursuits.
The local market stuffed with food-related offerings has a small, congested plaza. An installation here depicts the ethos of this Gastronomy centre. This installation is a larger-than-life sculpture of a realistic-looking apple!
For my first visit to a UNESCO Gastronomy Creative City, Gaziantep left me gaping. A city that offers history and heritage, not limited to the ruins and monuments. This offering extends to something we consume three times a day – food. It is compelling enough for me to honour it as our planet’s landmark!
