…..when we see the following fruits at our local markets or manav/greengrocers:
papaz eriği or sour green plums: a springtime delight! These are ‘süper’! |
First of all, these bright green objects which look like unripe plums and guess what,
that’s just what they are! Sour green plums! Can eriği or yeşil eriği! And people love them! My own son does! You can see that they are not cheap at the moment: 6 TL or
2.20 GBP a kilo but people buy them. You eat them as is dipped in salt! Ugggghhhh. Just my opinion.
that’s just what they are! Sour green plums! Can eriği or yeşil eriği! And people love them! My own son does! You can see that they are not cheap at the moment: 6 TL or
2.20 GBP a kilo but people buy them. You eat them as is dipped in salt! Ugggghhhh. Just my opinion.
yeni dünya: perhaps they look a bit beaten up but they are supposed to! |
And then we have these beauties: in Turkish yeni dünya or ‘new world’ in English or equally Malta eriği. Apparently they are loquats. I can’t say I know. These look like nothing on earth with their bruised and battered outer appearance, but actually this is how they are supposed to look. Of course their shelf life is short but if you try them, you will be delightfully surprised: inside you will find soft and silky brown pods surrounded
by delectable flesh. You sort of suck it all to your heart’s content.
by delectable flesh. You sort of suck it all to your heart’s content.
fresh chickpeas from Konya |
And lastly, here is the prize winning item: fresh chickpeas! Now, these aren’t all that common here in Istanbul or at least not in my area but it’s just that yesterday I happened to be out and about with one of my Walks in the Old City behind Eminönü and we came across some guys with enormous piles of these fresh branches. At first we didn’t know what they were but they hospitably offered us a taste of some of the nuts. Then of course I understood what they were saying: taze nohut/fresh chickpeas! I felt obliged to buy a bunch. After all, it didn’t break the bank: 1TL for the bunch! I felt like ditching it all along the way because the skies opened up and it seemed incongruous to be bearing this bunch of chickpeas but somehow I hung on to them.
It was worth it: when I got home, TT was in seventh heaven: we used to eat these when we were children, he exclaimed! So did the upstairs neighbour who saw me in the lift as I arrived at my floor.
a close-up of those fresh chickpeas or nohut |
Istanbul is fun when you are living the seasons……!
I think eric are super too. With lots of salt. (can't find my umlaut on this computer)
ooh no, not for me, that's for sure!!
very interesting. we have none of these here. i wish we did!
I always love reading your posts – I've never seen fresh chickpeas before!
Hi Susan! Not a very common sight here either – at least not in the heart of Istanbul! Thanks!
Love your story about chick peas! They were grown behind my home YEARS ago and Mom would go out and grab whatever was left after they were harvested… Now there's a bunch of fancy million dollar homes. I preferred the fields!
Where was that, I wonder? I would prefer the fields too, I think!! Thanks for commenting!
Thanks for the chick pea story. It turned out that a friend of ours gave us a bouquet of them about a week ago, we served them before dinner to guests and they ate them up! Do you know what those green asparagus-like branches that are sold for such a short time in the early spring are? We've never had the courage to try them partly because they look so strange – kind of like asparagus with a bad case of aphids.
Only the nuts, I hope – funny you should mention that other stuff, does it look like a kind of rough rhubarb by any chance? I have only seen it once in all my time here and that was a couple of weeks ago!
Yes, I think that's the stuff. I've seen it before but it comes and goes very quickly.
The sour plums like a basket of shelled peas which is what I thought they were till I read your posts. I have never seen chick peas at that stage so most interesting. Thanks for sharing your finds from your walk about.
Hi Michel! thanks for commenting, most kind! The chickpeas weren't bad but also taste just – unripe!
Cherries are in season too! I have a big bright bowl of them on my lap right now. My husband is sitting next to me with his bowl of can eriği. I just don't know how he does it! Sweet red cherries or bitter unripened fruit. Seems like a no-brainer to me. There's no accounting for personal tastes!
:))))
Hola tengo que viajar urgente a turquia a ver estas maravillas nunca había visto los garbanzos verdes y los nísperos me encanta bien maduros,lindo post y blog,abrazos hugs,hugs..
Rosita, hugs hugs hugs to you too but I'm afraid I can't understand the rest of your comment! xxx
Love those Eriks…..when my husband goes to Turkey at this time he always sneeks in a bag of them 'sour plums'to bring home. He likes them with salt…not for me. When I was there once in Izmir people go crazy for those Eriks. We don't have any here……
Love your chick peas…I've never seen fresh ones, so this was interesting.
Thanks for sharing your stories and pics. I always enjoy your Blog.
This weekend we have here in Canada a celebration of Queen Victoria's Birthday, so we shall relax as everything will be closed on Monday! Take care .:-)
Hi Erica! Thank you for being such a great follower! How those guys like those sour green plums beats me :))). Imagine you celebrating Queen Victoria's b'day! Enjoy it!
Gorgeous meyvas, Claudia ! Love the erik and yeni dunya, so wonderful!!:) We used to have the fresh chickpeas in Antakya when I was a child, love their flavor. Enjoy the erik for me!:)
Forgot to mention you Claudia; I just posted stuffed peppers and courgettes with bulgur, red pepper paste, pomegranate molasses and spices; a beloved recipe from my hometown, Antakya – with loads of Antakya photos! Thought you may want to have a look : )
xx Ozlem
Hey Özlem, I didn't know you were from Antakya!! How wonderful! Wow! I would love to visit there with you one day. Your new recipe sounds just fabulous and just for me, thanks! I will check it out right now! BTW did you see my last post re yr Kreativ Blogger Award? ı am really sorry I am so late!
What a treasure your markets soon will be. I'd love to take one of your walks, but it will be awhile before we can return to Turkey. This year we will be exploring the Amazon, Andes and the ruins of Peru. I do, by the way, take my own pictures with a point and shoot camera. Have a wonderful week, Claudia. Blessings…Mary
Hello, Mary. Many thanks for returning to comment on my blog. You are my absolute mentor, you know that. I hope one day you can come back and take a walk with me in the back streets of Istanbul. Your plans for this year sound just wonderful, and thanks for telling me that you take yr own photos! You are just ace!
Oh would I love to try those fresh chick peas. How wonderful to have such wonderful seasonal food! Beautiful!
What a wonderful trip around your market – I feel like I've had a vacation! fantastic produce 🙂
Mary x
Hey Mary! It's so nice to have you here! Thank you for coming back. Yes, living in Turkey is fun because every season comes up with something new!