For a long time there has been a culture struggling to make itself known, to have its voice heard. Often relegated to the sidelines, silently waiting for its time to come – for it to be noticed, for its flag to be waved proudly. The time is now, my friends. The time has come for pickles.
Sure, if you’re Turkish you take pickles for granted, like my roommate who would routinely pull out a huge 5-liter jug from the fridge that her mom made. Most likely, you’re like me with no anne, or better yet büyükanne in Adana or Ankara or Ayvalık to make you pickles. You need to go in search of this briny treasure and once found, proclaim its wonder, its beauty, its pickle perfectness to the world. If you’re a yabancı, then you’ll think twice about putting it in a little silver side dish next to the family meal – or throwing it willy-nilly into some döner or bulgur or what have you.
I was led by some divine Delancey-Street god (New York’s Lower East Side – or L.E.S – is one of the pickle capitals of the world) and if you like pickles like me, then you must follow your nose. Mine led me to Pelit Turşuları on Kurtuluş Caddesi. Go into this small, brightly-lit store filled with happy trays of pickles. Have a taste, bring some home. Revel in Pelit’s picklery.
But then, you know, I had to tell my friend Ezgi about it. Not so fast, there are plenty of pickles out there, she said. In fact, she told me about an historic place in my favorite Istanbul neighborhood, Beşiktaş. Off we went. Soydan Turşuları is a small store off a side street decorated with many jars of colorful bottled pickles. Have a taste of this gherkin, offers one of the owners. Yes, thank you, I said, and yum. Definitely a contender for an amazing pickle revolution.
There’s an old Italian saying that you can’t have two without three. Because the pickle gods want me to spread this important message to you for the greater good of the world, they led me to another pickle place you should know about. Meşhur Asri Turşucu is conveniently located in Cihangir – and has been famous since starring in a movie in the 1970s (though it’s been around since 1938). It’s old timey in the best sense with wood paneled walls and signs proclaiming their delicious pickle (and turnip!) juice. Refreshing? I am not so sure. Maybe yes. Go see for yourself, there so much to try there. And of course, get yourself some pickles to take home.
This is just the beginning for all of us. It’s a nice starting place to learn about pickle culture and a pickle revolution that will surely bring about many delicious things for everyone. Try something new. I love the pickled peppers, though I’m a bit iffy on the turnip juice. Maybe next week I’ll go back and give it a whirl. What about you? Do you have a favorite pickle? A favorite pickle place? And what do you think about the future of pickles?
Pickles, Pickles!
Pelit Turşuları
Kurtuluş Cad.
No: 121/A
Şişli, Feriköy
Tel: 0212-232-6630
http://www.pelittursulari.com/tr/tursu-cesitlerimiz
Soydan Turşuları
Şair Leyla Sok. No.:5
Beşiktaş
Tel: 0212-259-3202
Meşhur Asri Turşucu
Ağahamam Cad. No.:9/A
Cihangir
Tel: 0212-244-4725
Alba Brunetti is a contributor to Yabangee, she blogs about life in Istanbul at The Bluest I –http://thebluesti.blogspot.
