Feriköy Organic Market and the Lady of the Cake

This is a story of how I unexpectedly stumbled upon the perfect cake.

Like crossing a perilous street in Taksim on Labor Day or eating a satisfying Turkish breakfast on a rooftop in summer, nothing is more symbolic of Istanbul than a street market. Every Saturday, you can find an organic market deep inside the concrete jungle of Feriköy. This is where noble ladies and gentlemen as well as simple commoners like ourselves can buy exquisite produce from fertile local farms, delightful homemade jams, dried fruit, as well as mystical herbs that you might imagine come from magical fields where Jinnies play Quidditch on the weekend. You may encounter herbs you’ve never heard of, and the vendor will suggest that you “look them up on Google” before brewing tea with them.

Coming to the organic market is more of a social activity than a way to save money. If I were one of those strange neighborhood ladies who grows medicinal herbs in her garden, feeds all the cats and scares the wits out of children, this is where I’d come to sell my herb mixes and read coffee grounds. Also, some fruits and vegetables here are priced higher than in your next-door supermarket. Whereas the fragrance of supermarket produce (or lack thereof) may lead you think it was spawned from a 3D printer, the aromas of the fruits and vegetables at the organic market suggest that they grew on actual trees and shrubs. Right now, strawberries and apples at the Feriköy market go at a better-than-average price. Although not waxed or shiny, they taste pretty fantastic.

The dizzying array of cheeses found here may be complemented with keçiboynuzu reçeli, a jam made from the bean pod of the carob tree. The first time I came across it in a market years ago, it was introduced to me as “Turkish Viagra.” Another condiment available is a spread made of walnuts, tahini and honey, which will beat your peanut butter craving into the ground. Other items for sale include a sour molasses spread with a slightly rough texture called andız pekmezi and fig jam. After all, what else are we to eat before fig season arrives in the late summer?

Following the curious food trail of Feriköy Organic Market, my companions and I found ourselves in the holiest corner of this urban hunter-gatherer wonderland: the domain of a woman I like to call “Lady of the Cake.” She has but one magical power: the art of baking. She is located beside a busy börekçi and she hardly seems to realize how one bite of her cake can change someone’s entire day from an average “Meh” to an utterly satisfying and perfect “Oh!” This spongy cake is layered with figs, cream, walnuts and what I imagine to be ground unicorn horn. Soaked in coffee and sprinkled with coconut shavings, it is truly one of the most amazing things that has ever happened in the baking world. Other desserts include green spinach cake with whipped cream, chocolate fudge, and perfect cheesecake with strawberry jam.

I hope to one day live in a better world in which The Lady of the Cake owns her own bakery and takes me in as an apprentice to sweep the floors and learn the art of grinding unicorn horns and dragon scales to use in delicious desserts. That would be truly magical.

But for now, I’ll continue to visit the organic market, and I suggest you check it out as well. Be sure to take pictures!

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