Monthly Market Update: What's In and What's Not in the Turkish Pazars |

February – March 2015: Istanbul

I purposefully waited until today to go to my local weekly market here in Selami Çeşme on the Asian side of Istanbul so that I could see for myself what seasonal changes have occurred since the last time I went.

First of all, yes, there are some positive signs of spring – look, mimosa!

I liked this display

nestling next to the cabbages

There were huge piles of bakla or broad beans everywhere, true harbingers of spring indeed. There were even some which had been podded for using with enginar/artichokes although it is early for both of these. I asked if the artichokes were from Cyprus which is always early but most of the stallholders replied no, Izmir. Anyway, I bought some! They look delicious, fresh, and meaty, much more attractive than the ones in jars that have been available most of the winter.

enginar/artichokes

I also bought half a kilo of broad beans: they look very young and fresh and will make a change after a steady diet of winter veg.

as you can see, these guys aren’t camera shy in the slightest

Other newcomers included a sighting of semizotu or purslane but I (and the woman next to me) refrained from buying it as by rights it is far too early in the season. I associate it with eggplant/patlıcan, red peppers/ kırmızı biber, and courgettes/kabak and their time is not now! My sources tell me that this month is the month for asparagus or kuşkonmaz but I didn’t see any at all.

However you can still see a few pomegranates here and there but they have lost their fabulous vibrancy; quinces, but not nearly as many so if you want to make your last quince dessert/ayva tatlısı, buy them now! Oranges are starting to lose their juiciness. The apples are still looking good: I particularly recommend the Fuji variety (the ones on the right) but I think generally Amasya are the apple of choice here. Granny Smith are too perfect to be true: I had one that got lost in the fridge and it came out weeks later looking as good as the day it went in.

a nice selection of apples/elma

What struck me today was not only the abundance but the sheer exuberance of all the greenery: the different lettuces, parsley, nettles, spinach, Swiss Chard, and above all, the mounds of different green peppers. We now have quite a choice compared with days of yore when it was either tatlı/sweet, or acı/hot. Life was simpler then. You could tell them apart by their colour and shape as the tatlı were light green and bigger, while the acı were slim and a dangerous-looking dark green.

a huge pile of ‘garden’ sweet peppers although to me they look like the old-fashioned acı

Turks eat them for breakfast! I like them too but in modest amounts. They go well with the sliced tomatoes and cucumbers that distinguish a Turkish kahvaltı. However, the tomatoes are still not in season although I do buy the very small ones as at least they have taste. Have you noticed how quickly the little cucumbers go off? They’re delicious but I only buy half a kilo at a time.

Right now prices are reflecting the change in season: we are inbetween right now. Keep your eyes open for signs saying Yeni Mahsul/New Crop. Or conversely, Son … /Last… Those celery roots, cabbages and cauliflowers will eventually disappear, leeks too..