By Yasin Tunç
A Deep Approach to Turkish Teaching and Learning
Wisconsin Center for Education Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison
 Rakı: a traditional alcoholic beverage flavored with
anise, usually is eaten with mezze, fish, or kebabs.
Rakı is commonly consumed with mezze -a selection
of hot and cold traditional appetizers- and is especially
popular with seafood, together with fresh arugula,
white cheese, and melon.
 Beer: The most popular beer in Turkey is Efes Pilsen (5.0%
ABV), named after the ancient Turkish city of Ephesus near
the İzmir brewery. The beer has been described to have a
"tangy malt and hops aroma, rich malt in the mouth, and a
bitter-sweet finish that becomes dry and hoppy". Efes also
produces Efes Dark, Efes Light, Efes Extra and Marmara.
 Türk Tuborg, a subsidiary of the Danish Carlsberg/Tuborg
group, also brews beer in Turkey under the Tuborg name.
Danish Carlsberg is also popular in Turkey among other
international brands.
 Another major brand, Tekel Birası, is known as the oldest
producer of beer in Turkey (founded in 1890).
 Wine: There are a variety of local wines produced by Turkish brands,
such as Kavaklıdere, Doluca, Corvus, Kayra, Pamukkale and Diren,
which are becoming more popular.
 A range of grape varieties are grown in Turkey. For the production of
red wine, the following types of grapes are mainly used: in the
Marmara region -- Pinot Noir, Adakarası, Papazkarası, Semillion,
Kuntra, Gamay, and Cinsault; in the Aegean region -- Carignane,
Çalkarası, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Alicante Bouschet; in the
Black Sea region and eastern part of the country – Öküzgözü and
Boğazkere; in Central Anatolia -- Kalecik Karası, Papazkarası, Dimrit;
and in the Mediterranean region -- Sergi Karası and Dimri.
 As for white wine, the grapes can be listed as follows: in the Marmara
region -- Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillion, Beylerce, and Yapıncak; in
the Aegean region -- Muscat and Semillion; in the Black Sea region -Narince; and in Central Anatolia – Emir and Hasandede.
 Ayran: (a salty yogurt drink) the most common cold
beverage, which may accompany almost all dishes in
Turkey.
 Kefir: prepared with kefir grains and milk.
 Şalgam suyu: (a mild or hot turnip juice) another
important non-alcoholic beverage, which is usually
drunken with kebabs.
 Boza: a traditional winter drink, which is also known
as millet wine (served cold with cinnamon and
sometimes with leblebi- roasted chickpea ).
 Sahlep: another favorite in winter (served hot with
cinnamon). Sahlep is extracted from the roots of wild
orchids and may be used in Turkish ice cream as well.
This was a popular drink in western Europe before
coffee was brought from Africa and became popular.
 Turkish coffee: Turkish coffee is a world-known coffee
which can be served sweet or bitter. In Turkish, there is a
saying that emphasizes the importance in Turkish culture
of offering a cup of coffee to someone: "a cup of coffee has a
40-year consideration". It is coffee prepared by boiling
finely powdered roast coffee beans in a pot (cezve), possibly
with sugar, and serving it into a cup, where the grounds
settle. The name ‘Turkish coffee’ describes the method of
preparation, not the raw material; there is no special
Turkish variety of the coffee bean. It is common
throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Caucasus, the
Balkans, and their expatriate communities and restaurants
throughout the rest of the world.
 Mırra : Mırra is a traditional type of bitter coffee prepared in the Urfa and
Mardin provinces of Turkey, as well as in some Arab countries. It is sometimes
correctly referred to as Arabic coffee because the name is derived from Arabic
mur meaning bitter. Because it is very bitter and dark, it is served in tiny cups
without handles, similar in size to Italian espresso cups.
 The coffee beans for Mırra are common coffea arabica coffee beans, which are
roasted twice in order to give it its bitter taste. They are ground so that they are
still grainy, unlike Turkish coffee , which is more like a powder. The coffee is
poured into a narrow-topped small boiling pot called cezve, and water is
added, mostly accompanied by some cardamom in order to give it a more
aromatic flavor. Mırra is boiled a couple of times until a thick dark liquid
remains.
 In order to serve Mırra, it is poured into another copper cezve and the person
serving it fills the cup halfway and hands it over to the guest, who after
drinking it returns the cup in order to be filled halfway again and hands it over
to the next guest. So, the cup is circulated among the guests. One is always
supposed to hand back the cup to the person serving after finishing.
Otherwise, one will have to fill the cup up with gold, marry the person serving,
help her/him get married or buy her dowry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%B1rra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer_in_Turkey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_cuisine
http://www.lezzet.com.tr/dosyalar/01205/
http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/details/Food/Beers
.html