Flavors of the Black Sea

Rize

Visit Rize for lush green scenery and a feast like no other. A famous local dish, Ekşiaşi is comprised of boiled beans, rice, wheat flour and boiled grape juice. The dish Etmeaşığı is another delight. It is created by adding water, pickled green beans and corn bread to meat. Çilbur is another famous dish, it resembles muhlama which is cooked corn flour, oil, milk and cheese. What distinguishes Çilbur from muhlama, is that hot oil and a different variety of milk is added. A must-try dish is Çimili, a local Rize dish, onion and chard fried in butter. There is a favorite dish called Fasulye tavalısı which is boiled beans cooked with onions in a cauldron. The most popular dishes in Rize are hamsi kuşi (fried anchovy), hamsili pilav (rice and anchovy) and kara lahana dolması (stuffed kale). Abur is a popular deliciacy of the Black Sea. This dish is comprised of kale and corn flour and served with beans. Some other Rize dishes are: Rize simit, Rize pide, pepeçura, muhlama, çohala, guli soup, helle soup, husli soup, Anzer honey, kale soup, corn bread, Lohtiya, manca, turbo, and rohtiko. To taste the delightful cuisine of Rize, and sip on some warm Rize tea, book a flight to Trabzon or book a flight to Artvin.

Giresun

As Giresun was home to many civilizations, there is a rich cultural heritage that resonates in the cuisine. The staples of Giresun cuisine is herbs, vegetables and seafood. In the city, many consume a lot of seafood, fish such as hamsi (anchovy), mezgit (haddock) and alabalık (trout). Tecen (white cheese), tulum cheese, cheese in cube shapes and çökelek (skim-milk cheese) are produced in the highlands and villages of Giresun. In the city, many plants such as kekik (thyme), ıhlamur (linden), tea, taflan leaves and papatya (spring daisies) are dried and consumed as beverages. Pekmez (grape molasses), jams and marmalades are also diluted and used as drinks. Karalahana (kale), ısırgan (nettle), lettuce, mushrooms, parsley, pezik, kaldirik, sakarca, merulcan are those most commonly used ingredients in Giresun cuisine. Kale soup, roasted saltwater taflan, mendek soup, etli pancar sarması (wrapped beetroot and meat), pezik, fasulye diblesi (beans), ısırgan yemeği (nettle), merevcen, hamsi böreği (anchovy in pastry), çalı çiçeği dolması, fasulye turşusu kavurması (fried pickled beans), sakarca kızartması, yağlaş, kiraz tuzlusu kavurması (roasted cherry saltwater), siron ve samaksa are among the many delicacies of Giresun cuisine. Book a flight to Giresun and see for yourself.

Ordu

As in every region, the Black Sea cuisine is shaped by geographical characteristics. The cuisine of Ordu is made up of fish, vegetables and plants, pastries and desserts made with nuts. Beetroot is a staple ingredient in Ordu cuisine, and is used in most dishes, from stuffed beetroot to beetroot soup. Yerel fındık mantarı kavurma (roasted local mushrooms), Tirmit, Sakarca mıhlaması ve kayganası, melevcan, levrek buğulama (stewed sea bass), kabak kayganası, roasted hoşkıran, roasted galdirik are some of the great dishes awaiting you. You must try Dible, a rice dish served with beans or kale. Book a flight to Ordu to taste amazing beetroot and hazelnut dishes.

Trabzon

Trabzon cuisine is famous for dishes that use corn flour, butter and cheese. The crown jewel, Kuymak, is a dish that requires these staple ingredients. Local specialties include Trabzon pide (pizza), which is made with cheese and mincemeat, and cooked in a stove oven like Trabzon bread and Akçaabat köftesi (meatballs). As in the Blacksea cuisine, Anchovies are central in Trabzon cuisine. You must try anchovies and rice as well as anchovy soup. Ayran (Turkish yoghurt drink) soup topped with chopped bread and rice flour soup known as Dirma is an iconic Trabzon dish. Some other Trabzon dishes include mısır çorbası (corn soup), haluşka, Gongoş sarması, Hamsiköy sütlacı (rice pudding), balkabağı tavası (pumpkin), huliya, mamzana, malhota, laz böreği ve hodan böreği. For food that you can’t get enough of book a flight to Trabzon.

Artvin

Artvin cuisine is a descendent of Blacksea, Georgian and Anatolian cuisine ancestry. The staple foods vegetables and wild greens are in the limelight. Artvin has some incredible flavors to offer. A dish named Pirko is made from sun dried beans prepared in the autumn months and cooked in winter with tomato paste and bulgur. Some must-try Blacksea dishes are Borani, lorlu pekmez, Laz böreği, turşu kavurması, ketesi. More local Artvin dishes: peynir kuymağı, kaymak kuymağı, uş yemeği, gımı, yaban semiz otu, ebegümeci, lahana sarma (cabbage wrap). Some other specialties are: hınkal, çergebaz, pileki ekmeği, mantılı süt yemeği, ısırgan otu çorbası (nettle soup), püşürük çorbası, elma yemeği, boran, silor tatlısı ve ballı lokum. To try this great variety of local dishes, book a flight to Artvin.

Samsun

In Samsun, there are over 100 dishes that have been influenced by the Black Sea cuisine. In the outskirts of the city, from fertile soil, different herbs and seafood dishes are dried. Pastries and meat dishes are the specialities of the inner city. Gürsü asıllı, a meal prepared with chicken meat and lepsi with walnuts, tirit, chicken meat mixed with wheat-prepared herse and kaz çevirmesi (goose) are some great dishes you can try in Samsun. Some other specialities are: haluçka, fasulye turşusu kavurması (roasted pickled beans), kaldırayak kavurması, keşkek, mısır ekmeği (corn bread), Samsun simidi, gebi Kirazı, Bafra karpuzu, Nebyan fasulyesi ve nokul. Deserts include: Çarşamba kıvratması, kocakarı gerdanı, fırında kestane kabağını. You must try pide (pizza) of nearby districts Bafra, Terma and Çarşamba. For the feast of a lifetime, book a flight to Samsun.Visit the Blacksea region to experience natural beauty and the incredible Blacksea cuisine.