Gastronomi Sehri Afyonkarahisar Traditional Recipe

FEATURES OF AFYONKARAHİSAR GASTRONOMY CULTURE Afyonkarahisar, which has hosted many civilizations since the earliest periods of history, is located in a geography bearing the traces of historical and cultural values. The fact that its economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry is the main determinant in the formation of Afyonkarahisar’s food culture. When the dishes of Afyonkarahisar region are examined, it has a very rich cuisine with soups, meat dishes, vegetable dishes, pilafs, pastries and desserts. The intense use of some products grown in the region in local dishes creates a variety of varieties. Additionally, Afyonkarahisar has many branded products. Geographical Indication registered products; Afyonkarahisar, with its delicious local tastes and palatable dishes that keep our tradition alive; After Gaziantep and Hatay, it was included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy. Included in the list of geographical indications; Afyon Cream, Afyon Pastrami, Afyon Sausage, Creamy Bread Kadayıf, Afyonkarahisar Homemade Potato Bread, Çay district Sour Cherry and Şuhut Keşkeği are products with high added value, being different from their counterparts. The Effects of Cuisine on the Social and Cultural Life of Afyonkarahisar Among the dinner meetings and invitations seen in Afyonkarahisar are “birth invitations, death dinners, circumcision wedding and invitation, pilgrim invitation, zinardı invitation, son’s henna invitation, invitation to lay the bridegroom, invitation to kiss hands and dowry, and Gezek dinners. In these invitations, different food presentations are made to the guests depending on the nature of the invitation. These are examined in detail below. Birth Invitation: After birth, close relatives send a “team” to the puerperant’s home. The food served to the guests at the birth is called “team” and this process is called “team making”. In “Team”; There are chicken and buns, rice soup and creamy palize. Food for birth invitations is not cooked by the host. The invitation is made with food from close relatives. During the naming ceremony, food is brought by relatives. The “birth set” includes the following dishes: soup, palize, cream, chicken or meat, and fruit. For special occasions such as births, circumcisions, weddings and invitation dinners, there are two types of food lists: “rice set” and row dishes. The “pilaf set” includes rice soup, Uzbek pilaf, compote, tray pastry, semolina halva and okra. In the summer months, eggplants with meat and stuffed meat are also available. The regular meal includes rice soup, whole meat, moussaka, pudding, trotters, baklava, okra, green beans and fruit. Death Meals: The invitation dinners on the night of death and the first Thursday are prepared by close friends and relatives, just like at the birth. In case of death, while close relatives and neighbors prepare the meal, those who are more distant make pastries and compotes and send them or bring them personally. The queue meal usually includes the following dishes: soup, Afyon kebab, eggplant moussaka, stuffed peppers, Güllaç, okra and pastry. Circumcision Wedding and Invitation: The cook prepares the meals for circumcision and other weddings. Unlike other invitations, instead of a line meal, meat over rice and Uzbek pilaf, compote, pastry, dessert or seasonal fruit and okra are served. In Afyonkarahisar, during engagements and weddings, the following dishes are served at the square table where 15-20 people sit and eat: soup, veiled turkey, trotters, creamy apple dessert (elmasiye), eggplant moussaka, tas meat, pudding, false stuffing, gullaç, chicken stew, börek, baklava, okra, rice and compote. As can be seen, fifteen types of dishes are served on the table. It is a rule that there are four types of meat dishes and four types of desserts among these meals. The assistant cook undertakes the task of arranging the order in which meals arrive at the table, which is called “meal saving”. Pilgrim Invitation: In the invitation to which close relatives and friends are invited before or after the pilgrimage, rice, börek and compote are served, just like at the circumcision wedding. Rarely, a queue meal is served. In these invitations, the teacher is invited and the Mevlit is also read. Zinardı Invitation: It is an invitation made after the engagement, where the boy’s house comes to the girl’s house and the mother-in-law and the girl’s side wear jewelry. According to Afyonkarahisar customs, when the boys and girls buy each other clothes for the engagement, it is called “Esbap Düzme”. The clothes purchased at “Esbap Düzme” are shown to the guests on a tray on the engagement night. Since this invitation is held the day after the engagement night, it is called “zinardı invitation” and a dinner is served. Boy Henna Invitation: Boys’ henna ceremony is an entertainment organized by the boy and his friends at the boy’s house. Such an invitation is also given when the boy is going to the military. In addition to the main course meal, appetizers are also offered. The following dishes are brought to the square table prepared for 15-20 people in the boy’s henna party, in order; Rice soup, whole meat, eggplant moussaka, false stuffing, creamy bread kadayıf or baklava and finally okra are brought. Invitation to Put the Bridegroom: No one from the girl’s side attends this invitation. At this invitation, where the elders of the boy’s side and the boy’s best man attend, a dinner is served. Invitation to Kiss Hands and Download Dowry: Among Afyonkarahisar invitations, the most assertive invitations in terms of food types are kissing hands and offering dowry. The invitation to kiss hands is made by the girl’s house, and the invitation to pay the dowry is made by the boy’s house. The meals served at both events are prepared by the chef. A dinner is served at invitations. The dinner is prepared for at least 40-50 people. The following dishes are offered to guests during hand kissing and dowry invitations: Rice soup, whole meat, moussaka, water pudding, trotters, chicken stew with chickpeas, baklava, okra, green beans or, instead, rice pilaf covered in small plates, fruits depending on the season. There are at least three types of meat dishes and three types of desserts in the “invitations to kiss hands and send dowry”. In hand kissing invitations, in addition to the dishes listed above, the girl’s house serves stew, pastry, rice, compote, pudding, stuffed pudding, etc. It can serve approximately 40 types of meals and desserts. Gezek Dishes: Gezeks, which have an important place in the social life of Afyonkarahisar, are a multifaceted solidarity and cooperation activity. Wanderers; These are organizations where gatherings, behavior during the trip, eating and drinking, entertainment, complaints, wishes and punishments are carried out according to certain rules. This tradition continues today as a disciplined and entertaining tradition of Afyonkarahisar’s social life. Fifty or sixty years ago, most of the trips were held with meals. In old Afyonkarahisar tours, meals called sira meals were served. This meal included the following dishes: rice soup, whole meat, moussaka (zucchini and eggplant moussaka), water pudding, creamy apple dessert (Elmasiye), baklava, okra and seasonal fruit. Some dishes may be replaced by other dishes during the next meal. For example, after the soup, Uzbek pilaf, then a tray of pastries and open mouth, bending, compote, (cherry, apricot, rosehip, quince, apple, grape), stuffed with olive oil; For dessert, tel kadayıf, creamy bread kadayıf, etc. In the 1930s and 1940s, it was customary to slaughter a turkey in the villages. They were called “duvaklı” because of the phyllo covered on the cooked turkey. Two other important dishes made and eaten in the old Afyonkarahisar tours are “arabaşı” and “tel halva”. Unfortunately, the number of dinner tours has decreased considerably today. Apart from the invitations listed above, there are also Ramadan invitations, Hıdırellez invitations, military invitations, holiday invitations and bridal invitations in Afyonkarahisar. The following dishes are served at these invitations: soup, Afyon kebab, stuffed vegetables, water pudding, green beans, dessert (bread kadayıf, baklava) and okra.

Source: Afyonkarahisar Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism