We Love Cooking!:
turkey

One of the things I have learned in my discovery of food so far is that, people who are passionate about good quality ingredients are more than enthusiastic about expressing this passion and filling you up with information. Gerry McEvoy, who runs his farm of 800 free range bronze turkey's is absolutely no different. We were introduced via the magic of twitter last week when I tweeted asking whether anyone knew of a turkey farmer. Within a matter of hours the meeting was set and the following day I was all set to head up to the farm to see all those turkeys!

I arrived at Gerry's house in Sallins in Co. Kildare on a beautiful bright winter morning and was greeted first by his 3 dogs and then by the man himself. Not wasting anytime, after our brief introduction and a quick chat about our fine feathered friends, we got straight down to business! Before I could even say "turkey" I was decked out in my very own pair of wellies and we were heading towards the field.

Now to be honest growing up I wasn't exactly the most outdoorsy kid and wouldn't have ever dreamt of standing in a field full of turkeys had I not been dragged in kicking and screaming! I have over the years, of course, become a little more adaptable and so although a tiny bit of apprehension may have been running through my mind I was following Gerry through the gate and into the field.

The moment the gate was closed they came for me! I think they sensed my fear, either that or it could have been that Gerry was throwing a bucket of food for them. Either way I was surrounded by these highly inquisitive birds who were not afraid of me in the slightest! The first thing you notice close to the field is the sheer noise of the birds, just to have a normal conversation we were practically shouting across to each other! The beauty I learnt of allowing the birds to roam the fields meant they had a somewhat varied diet, Gerry told me that the birds have a major love for nettles and one of his fields which had been completely covered in them had been devoured in a matter of weeks.

Although I was taking in all this brilliant information and we were having a great chat, I was very conscious that there was about 400 turkeys around me and some of them were getting a bit cheeky, even giving my legs a peck! Gerry told me that the birds are attracted to bright colours and red was their favourite, which did not bode well as my camera comes with a bright red strap, which explained their interest in me! Walking through the field, Gerry was able to tell me the weight of each bird just by looking at it and although he offered for me to hold one I had to say no, but that didn't stop him picking up a 12 pounder to show me the quality of their amazing feathers. There is an oil in the feathers which allows the rain to run right off!

As I got a bit more relaxed I got busy snapping photos of the birds. They very diligently posed for shots and some even hopped up onto a bail of hay for the perfect picture. Gerry has them well trained! Apart from the slightly smaller female birds, the massive males were incredibly dramatic looking with strange droopy bits of skin falling from above their beaks. The kind of deformity which would have made for a fantastic Disney film's evil bad guy! While I was snapping away, all of a sudden an eerie silence came over the field and all the turkeys loud gobbling reduced to silent murmur. I looked to Gerry to ask what was going on and he pointed to the sky where a airplane was flying overhead, he filled me in telling me that they are very perceptive and there silence in the presence of "bigger birds" was a regular occurrence!

We headed towards what I christened the "turkey house" which was a large building at the top of the field where the turkeys could roam in and out of. Gerry showed me the wheat which he fed the turkeys and the huge machine which ground it, so it was easier for the birds to digest. Inside the building he showed me where the birds slept and the brilliant watering system that refilled itself when it was empty. The other interesting thing he pointed out was the chains he had hung from the ceiling which are said to keep the birds brains active! Gerry said the minute he turns off the lights at night the birds go completely silent and head straight off to sleep. Just in case you were wondering what radio station the birds groove to during the day, KFM is played on the little radio which is perched on the wall. I like to think they are all big fans of Industry!

Now I do apologise if I have lulled you into some sort of pleasant denial, here is where it gets messy. The turkeys are picked up on the 18th of December ahead of their Christmas dinner date with many Irish families across the country and are taken to be prepared for pick up. Gerry mostly sells the birds from the farm itself and over a three day period sets up shop for people to pick up their purchase ahead of the big day. I was so impressed with the birds our family have ordered two 12 pounders which I have named Francoise and Hernrietta and I will be calling live from Sweden to check how they go down.

If you want to read more about Gerry and his free range bronze turkeys check out his website here. As far as I know he is still taking orders so give him a shout and he will sort you out for Christmas dinner! Sure he's your only man! :)

Yesterday I went to visit... wait for it... A TURKEY FARM! I had so much fun, so much so, Gerry was nearly talking me into becoming a turkey farmer! He walked me through the whole process and these birds are immaculate and so healthy looking. I took a million pictures and have yet to edit them but for now check out this quick video of the turkeys!

The Turkey travel log is still coming, my focus was way more on food the second week, so keep on hanging on in there!

Datca
After a somewhat misguided trip to Symi, we had a long and bumpy sail up to the small Turkish town of Datca. It was our first visit of the trip to a Turkish town, so there was a lot on offer to do and see.We arrived into a buzzing little harbour with lots of small restaurants and shops all vying for our attention. On first inspection the waterfront looked very touristy but after we ventured further up the town, there was a lot more to Datca. A long street leading from the harbour front out of the town was packed with little Bazaars, herb shops, bakeries, kebab restaurants, and newsagents which sell their bread in fabulous little cabinets

Just before dinner Sofie and I went for a quick walk into the town and stumbled upon a massive parade taking place down the main street. We followed the people marching into a large square, overlooked by a massive portrait of the first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

We later discovered it was a festival of International cultures, and folk dancing groups from Romania, Sierra Leone, Poland, and Turkey were all in attendance fully dressed in traditional folk costume. It was the perfect opportunity to get some really great pictures.

With so many people crowding around the different groups, I was hardly noticed snapping away! The atmosphere was great, everyone including the participants looked like they were enjoying every minute. It was really easy to see why festivals like these, which celebrate different cultures, have become so successful.

As the evening began to close in, the crowd slowly dispersed and disappeared.

Later that evening we followed the noise of loud music across the harbor to where a mass of people were milling around an open air amphitheatre. We went through a large door to discover a massive concert for all the locals. We sat down and from what I could see it appeared the concert was in honour of local dignitaries who were sat right in front of the stage and even joined in the festivities by dancing right in front of the band!

Bozuk Buku
Our next stop was more along the lines of the little bays and ports we were used too, in Turkish waters. The tiny little bay is overlooked by the ruins of a large wall which make for a pretty stunning backdrop right on the mountain.

The water here was really clear and perfect for snorkelling. In most of the smaller bays which have restaurants run by the locals, rickety old jetty’s are built to offer mooring to the passing yachts.

In the afternoon when the sun’s heat had finally reduced, I dragged Sofie on a big trek to the top of the hill to see the ruins of the wall. She wasn’t impressed with both the heat and the fact that I insisted we walk through the campsite the locals lived in.

But I’m glad we did, as you really get a feel for how the people who run these little places live. A couple of goats and chickens roamed their little enclosures, while an old woman slept right under one of the close by trees!

The ruins were really impressive and the views from the top made the long walk very worthwhile.

We were joined only by a cat who seemed to happily have made the old walls its home. The small restaurant onshore had a great selection of Turkish Mezze and fresh fish.

Kumlu Buku
After a long series of stops which were a little on the rustic side, we pulled in to Kumlu Buku, a small bay just outside Marmaris. A small up market restaurant sits right on the shore, and a few really stunning straw huts full of giant cushions sit on the beach. Sofie and I made a beeline for these, and spent most of the day lounging on the comfy cushions.
Hard life right?
We ate in the restaurant on shore and to our surprise it had a fairly extensive Chinese menu! I may have mentioned it here before but I have a big thing for Asian cuisine! After solidly eating turkish mezze and grilled meats for 5 days on trot, it was great to have something different. I’ll be honest I really wasn’t expecting this small restaurant to produce the best of the best, but all the dishes that we ordered were absolutely delicious and really fresh.
As the sun set the staff at the restaurant lit large, open flamed laterns right down the beach. The jetty, we were moored up to, was lit up with under water lights, and the whole place looked really spectactular!
We were leaving the next morning but I could have easily stayed another night there!

This has to be one of my favorite Turkish street foods. I got the great opportunity to watch how they are made, not out of choice, I might add! We had ordered 2 of the pizza's at this little restaurant right beside the local mosque in Fethiye, and the owner spotted me taking pictures around the place earlier. He quickly dragged me in to the kitchen, full of pride and instructed me to take pictures of the pizza's being made!

Not that I was complaining, the guy who was doing the cooking, gave me a full demonstration and from the speed he was producing the pizza's, it was pretty clear that he had done this before! The small pieces of dough are rolled out into long thin oval shapes and then a mix of meat, egg and herbs is placed on top. The dough is then folded in towards the centre to form a chewy crust. Don't let the idea of pizza throw you, this is nothing like it's Italian cousin. The recipe here is adapted from a Turkish cook book, with the advice of the Fethiye pizza maker, thrown in for good measure!

Turkish Pizza (Pide)

1. 5 Cups of Flour.
2. 4 Tablespoons of Butter.
3. 1 Sachet of Active Dried Yeast.
4. 2 Cups Of Milk.
5. 1 Teaspoon of Salt.
6. 1 Teaspoon of Sugar.
7. 3 Eggs.
8. 250g Minced Lamb.
9. 1 Beef Tomato, finely chopped.
   
10. A Good Handful of Coarsely Chopped Parsley.
11. 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped.
12. A Good Pinch Of Salt and Pepper.

When the dough has risen, seperate into egg sized pieces and flatten them into long oval shapes on a floured surface. Place the meat mix in a long line, on the dough and make sure to leave about 2cm on either side for the crust. Fold the dough in on either side and place in an oven for 10 minutes, at 240oC.

Serve straight away and slice into smaller pieces.

Hello Hello!

We got back from Turkey last night and are already feeling the cold! I'm going to be posting a little bit about each place we sailed through over the next two weeks and I have over 2000 photo's to sift through and edit so I'll be sticking them up too.

I also have some very exciting news about the book- tomorrow is the first official photoshoot complete with food stylist and photographer! We have spent most of the day preparing for tomorrow and all I can say is it's a stark contrast, going from tanning in 30 degree heat to prowling through boxes of peppers for the most photogenic, within hours of stepping off a plane! We have been cooking all day and the first shots will be taken tomorrow morning, so I'm hoping to feature a few behind the scenes pics later this week.

For now here is my travel log day 1 to 3! The pictures are more foodie related as the days progress so stay tuned and Enjoy!

Orhaniye
The whole holiday was booked through Sunsail an English based yacht charter company, and unlike previous visits to Gocek, we decided to explore the new base of Orhaniye. After a long day which started in the early hours at Dublin airport, and a fairly erratic drive from Dalaman airport we finally arrived at our destination of Marti Marina, Orhaniye, in one piece. I always find it a bit disorientating arriving somewhere in the dark, but even the dim light could not disguise the fact that Marti Marina looked very much like a boat yard, and the website featured a hotel overlooking the marina. However on closer inspection the hotel was still in the process of being built and the building site gave the impression that the builders had given up and left a long time ago! But this was not our problem, in little under a few hours of well needed sleep, we would be on the water sailing, the overlooking building site, a distant memory.
We picked up our yacht, a Cyclades 42, which would be home for the next two weeks and gave it a quick once over before hitting the pillow.
The marina itself is fully functional with Shower and Laundry facilites, a small supermarket, a salt water swimming pool, and two restaurants overlooking the bay.
After a briefing at the sunsail office, picking up provisions in the supermarket, and a quick application of much needed suncream we were out sailing.
Two of the best things about a sailing holiday, is that you are outdoors practically all the time, surrounded by fresh air and with the water being so warm and clear, you find yourself in and out quite regularly to cool off from the sun’s heat. The second, you get too see so much, travelling to a brand new destination everyday!

Dirsek
Our first stop was Dirsek, a stunning little bay, surrounded by tall dry mountains, about an hour’s sail south from Orhaniye . There is a small restaurant in the bay which is run by the owners, who quite inconspicuously live in tents along the edge of the water, adding to the hands on feel of the place. Boats can anchor in the bay and tie a line ashore or the restauarant offers lazy lines along a jetty. We arrived at around lunchtime and got straight in for the first swim of the holiday, the water is so clear that you can see the bottom even at about 9 meters up, this makes great conditions for snorkelling, which quickly became my new favourite activity! We motored in to the restaurant with the small dighy which comes with the boat and arrived to a scene of what I would describe as controlled chaos. The regular chef had been rushed to the dentist with some major dental urgency and a happy go lucky waiter had been drafted in as the sorry individual who was set to take up the reigns. Guests are invited to go into the kitchen and choose from large table of meat and fish for their main course. On the opposite counter, large glass dishes full of cold starters are spread out in a large row for guests to choose from.

Roast Aubergine in Tomato Sauce, Cooked Green Beans with Yoghurt, Olive Oil and Garlic, Boiled Potatoes with a simple scattering of Parsley, Fried Corgettes, A sort of Onion, red Pepper, and Chilli Salsa, Cooked Spinach and Yoghurt topped with a sprinkle of Paprika, Cheese wrapped in Filo Pastry, and Tzatzichi were among the many dishes which made up the Turkish Mezze, a term coined to describe this massive selection of dishes. The restaurant charges a set price for the Mezze and you can choose whatever dishes you want in a buffet style, it’s a brilliant way to get a chance to try all the different flavours.

Now it’s not often that I feature sickly romantic moments between myself and Sofie, apart from the picture on the "About" page, but after dinner we lay up on deck and watched the stars. I know, I know, pass the bucket, but in our defence, with the only unnatural light coming from the restaurant in the distance, it was practically unmissable. I have never seen stars as amazing as on that night, and as we lay flat on our back it was as if we were wearing 3D goggles, with every last twinkling light jumping down at us. What a perfect way to end a great day.

Monastery of Panormitis, Simi
Our next stop was a long sail to the Greek island Of Simi, just on the border of Turkish waters. It was an extremely strange little port, whose mystery was heightened further, when we discovered the pilot book had absolutely no information about it. It seemed to be less of a town and more of a church with surrounding accommodation, we only came across one restaurant, there could have been more. The change from Turkish to Greek waters was quite significant in terms of cuisine and for dinner we ate a pretty standard fare of Calamari, Moussaka, Souvlaki, with large side dishes of Tzatzichi.
The large abbey sits right on the water front and is lit up quite impressively at night, the whole bay has a white painted walkway which goes from the abbey right the way around and up the hill to a large old windmill which overlooks the bay.

After a bit of googeling I discovered that the Monastry is Greek Orthadox and dates back to 450 AD. It is the largest on the island and is also considered one of the most important.

Apart from a few small shops, there was a bakery which sold fresh bread in the morning and had extremely tasty coconut macaroons topped with cherries.
We left the following morning for a long and bumpy sail to the small Turkish town of Datca...

I have my laptop on the boat with me, in order to keep up with the book, and the approaching deadline. However one thing I was not expecting, was the abundance of wireless internet connections, even in the most solitude of places!

I think the word rustic most definitely captures the style of cooking in Turkey, and they produce the most amazing and interesting breads you could imagine!
Lots of fresh salads, baked aubergine, feta cheese, green beans, grilled meats and fish fill the table, leaving you satisfied and tired in the warm heat.

Back with more soon...