Destination: Turkey

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION

Itinerary: Turkey for Tastebuds

TIME ENOUGH TO EASE A BELT HOLE OR THREE

Turks are deservedly proud of their scrumptious cuisine and different parts of the country are known – and loved – for their specialities.

People may avoid you for days after, but Tokat kebap – a lamb-basted eggplant kebap boasting a full fist of garlic – is worth every bite. Greasy, but worth it is Iskender kebap – best sampled in eateries in Bursa . The squid caught off the north Aegean coast is the finest in the nation; get it cooked fresh at Sigacik and you’ll be boasting for years. If you overindulge, hope that the mesir macunu (power gum) sold in nearby Manisa can cure you. Time your visit for the spring equinox to see the town’s folk concocting this tooth-binding elixir.

There ain’t nought more experienced at making lokum (Turkish delight) than the folk at Ali Muhaddin Haci Bekirin Istanbul, ancestors of the shop’s namesake who invented the stuff. Afyon is famous for its immense crop of poppies and the rich clotted kaymak cream, reputedly so good because the cows graze on the poppies. Gaziantep boasts a trifecta: fistiks (pistachios), baklava and künefe. Blending the first two together for an addictive finger-licking treat is Imam Çagdas. Kahramanmaras is the dondurma (ice cream) capital of Turkey. Served in fist-sized blocks, it’s best tackled with a knife and fork.