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Turkey’s Hatay eager for visitors after UNESCO gastronomy prize
Restaurateurs and cafe owners in one of Turkey’s ancient cities, Hatay, are hoping the recent UNESCO award as the “City of Gastronomy,” will offer a cash boost to the local economy.
The southeastern province of Hatay was among a handful of cities across the world recognized last week for its exceptional cuisine.
The region, bordered by the Mediterranean and Syria, is famous for its distinct food, which reflects the province’s mixed Turkish and Arab history.
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Sabahattin Nacioğlu, head of the Hatay Tourism Association, said Hatay’s cuisine includes around 600 dishes that can be distinguished as originating from the region.
The city of Hatay, also known as Antakya, has been a tourist and pilgrimage destination for centuries. Founded by one of Alexander the Great’s generals as Antioch, the city was one of the centers of early Christianity.
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However, in recent years its proximity to the Syrian civil war has dissuaded many visitors.
Gastronomy tourism
“From now on, gastronomy tourism will also be at the forefront along with culture and faith tourism,” Nacioğlu said.
Mustafa Sertbaş, a pastry chef who specializes in making the cheesy dessert Künefe, was equally enthusiastic about Hatay being among the list of eight cities marked for their cuisine.
“We already knew Hatay was a city of gastronomy but from now on, the whole world will know it. This has been our pride,” he said.
Hatay is famous for meze-like foods such as humus, a food dip or spread made from cooked and mashed chickpeas that is blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic; muammara, a dish of crushed walnuts, stale bread, tahini, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice; and baba ghanoush, a dish made from eggplants, garlic and parsley. The city is also known for its kebabs such as paper kebab, tray kebabs and sini oruğu, a dish made with thin bulgur and minced meat.
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The province is further famous for its desserts such as künefe, an oven-baked pastry with a soft cheese filling that is smothered in thick syrup.
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“I hope we will host many more visitors, thanks to the flavors we are cooking. This will make a great contribution in the city,” added Yusuf Eser, a cafe manager.
Bahir Muratoğlu, a chef skilled in making regional delicacies, such as flatbread with spicy red pepper, also predicted a boost in visitor numbers.
“This title will be heard across the world and many foreign visitors will come to our city. We will welcome them with pleasure,” Muratoğlu said.
Source: Hurriyet Daily News/Unesco
Hatay cuisine in Fethiye
If you want to enjoy Hatay cuisine for yourself you can go along to Mozaik Bahçe, a restaurant that specialises in Hatay cuisine. You’ll have to wait until they reopen in the spring though…
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The post Hatay joins select group as City of Gastronomy appeared first on Fethiye Times.