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Çiğdem is a lively host who loves to experiment in the kitchen. Relying on the freshest seasonal produce, she whips up healthy, home-style meals and rarely makes the same thing twice. A creative at heart, when she's not cooking in the kitchen Çiğdem loves learning new handicrafts which you will see displayed in her beautifully decorated apartment.
A culture lover, Çiğdem delights in sharing stories of Turkish history, art, cooking and modern day Istanbul with her guests. Çiğdem prepares seasonal dishes using the freshest produce from her local market. Join her at her table for a typical home-style meal which focuses on soups, vegetables and rice dishes in which meat is an accent, not the focus of the meal. Depending on the season, your meal might begin with a hot or cold soup, perhaps mercimek çorbası (red lentil soup) in winter or cacık (chilled cucumber and yogurt soup) in summer. She loves to prepare dolma (stuffed vegetables) like eggplant, peppers or zucchini which are filled with a savory mixture of rice and mincemeat and is an expert at preparing fresh, vibrant zeytinyağlılar (seasonal vegetable cooked in olive oil and dressed with herbs) which is typically served at room temperature. Like most Turkish homes, no meal at Çiğdem's home is complete without a salad and fresh bread.
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