Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1903-03-28
MENU OF THE TURKS
DISHES THAT COULD BE ADOPTED
BY AMERICAN HOUSEWIVES.

Nutritious and Inexpennfve-POpu-
Iarity of Vegetable. and sweets.
The National Dish.
Some OF the dishes found on Turkish
tables might well be adopted by the
American housewife, being appetizing
and inexpensive and easily prepared
from articles that are to be found here
in great abundance.
Turks do not care for salads, but pre-
fer meat, fish, vegetables and sweet
dishes. The Bosporus furnishes great
variety Of excellent fish, among them
the red mullet, oysters and mussels.
but the Turks have no idea of the
choice Of cuts and simply ask for so
many okas, caring nothing SO that they
ret meaty pieces with few bones.
COrned beef. roast beef, steak - these
veal, fowls and game are eaten. Pork
is ''the unutterab bic flesh"
breakfast with the Turks OF all
classes consists Of a cup Of coffee and
bread A piece Of cheese rolled into the
fat pancake Is eaten by the laborers.
This Is sometimes exchanged for cakes
that are much like pretzels. only larger
and not so hard. In the fruit season
different kinds Of fruit are added.
Black bread made of unboiled rye flour
Is sold everywhere and when fresh is
a, WIZ, f,iaaA
of the native cheese and a cup Of coffee
the richest man is satisfied.
With all fish. Holsters and many
meats q sort OF salad dressing is served
made Of garlic. oil. brcudcrumbs and
vinegar, all bruised to cream, with
caviare or cucumber. Mussels are much
larger than in this country. They are
washed. steamed until they open then
filled with rice, chopped onion and pep
per and butter, packed closely in YES
sci and baked al hour.
Turks make few soups, as they prefer
solid food, but sardineS, anchOvies and
| sailed olives or piStachiO nuts are eaten
before meals as appetiZers. OF vegeta-
bles, which enter largely into their
diet, the favorite is the tomato, and
scarcely any dish is considered COM
pleta without it, though they never eat
this vegetable raw. To preserve tOma-
toes for winter use they boil them I'M
til the skins are loose, then pass them
through colanders, after which they
throw salt into the pulp. This causes it
to settle, and the water is poured off
while the residue is put into thin bags
and hung in the shade. The next day
it is spread on fiat surfaces to dry.
Later 1t Is cut into squares and laid
in covered Jars. This process retains
the taste and qualities Of the tomato
better than canning. and little water
makes the pulp moist again.
Potatoes. a taste for which is an ac-
qlired one with the Turk are first
boiled. mashed with eggs and little
-four, then made into cakes and fried.
Beans and lima beans are boiled with
tomatoes and butter and sometimes on
ions. Squash is sliced and fried or
stuffed with mlncemeat, onions and
boiled rice. and then baked. Large GU
cumbers are also stuffed with minced
meats and baked or are eaten raw with
salt. One good stew is made of NUT
ton and green peas. Another has all
sorts Of vegetables. like all Irish stew.
Eggplant is cooked in many ways,
some Of them palatable and good. One
recipe is called imambaide. which
means that the imam for whom the
dish first WINS made tainted with de-
light at its excellence. To make 1t, cut
Sits in the sides of the eggplant and in
scrt fOrcemeat OF onion and minced
chicken in the cavities. Tie strips OF
cloth around and fry thoroughly in boil
ing fat. Another way is to substitute
eggplant for potato in stew. Toma-
toes should also he added.
MOussaka, another and better form,
calls for one large eggplant. sliced rath-
or thick. without peeling. Have Il
quart of tomatoes freshly peeled or
canned and one pound of minced beef.
Fry the beef until it separates, set
aside while the eggplant is being fried.
then put alternate layers Of meat. egg
plant and tomatoes In Il deep dish;
season and bake in Il slow oven one
hour.
Another delicious dish results from
placing sliced onions. tomatoes ana
ships bread or soda biscuit i'll layers,
with generous piece Of butter. i'll
covered dish Bake slowly four hours.
Pilnf. the natioual dish Of Turkey. Is
served invariably at every dinner. Rice
always forms the foundation. and the
most popular variety is that where
nothing but butter, tomatoes and rice
IS used Take three-quarters of a
pound Of Carolina or Egyptian rice,
wash until perfectly clean and while
still wet place in Il pan with One-quar'
ter of Il pound Of butter. Stir over the
fire until the rice has absorbed the but
Ter and become II light golden color.
Add the rice to three pints Of strained
tomato juice, boil the whole up once.
then draw aside to cook. without STIR
ring, for twenty-five minutes. When
done, melt another quarter Of pound
Of butter, and when the pllaf is dished
up pour 1t over the top. Each kernel
should be separate. The color will be
a rich light brown.
Yalanje-dolm is a popular dish with
foreigners as we'll as Turks. Scald
some fresh green grape leaves. Take
a half pound Of rice and fry in butter
M FOR nil,f Mince some onion and