If you need a break from the same old food you're always ordering when eating out, maybe it's time to try some ethnic cuisine. The exotic food from the eastern Mediterranean will have your mouth watering and if you live on Long Island, you don't even have to go all the way into Manhattan to find what you're looking for. In fact, for a great Turkish restaurant East Meadow, Centereach and other Long Island spots have a surprising selection on offer.
Turkey is a country where many different culture meet and this diversity is reflected in the country's cuisine. The cultures of Greece, the Balkans, the Middle East and Central Asia all left their mark during the time these regions were part of or in close contact with the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey. Ingredients are usually fresh and full of flavor.
To start your culinary journey, try a platter with several appetizers. These may include pickles, olives, cheese, dolmeh with their vine-leaf wrappings, golden falafel balls and small spinach and feta or feta and herb pies. Accompanying everything you'll normally find some tasty dips, including hummus and eggplant-based baba ghanoush.
Many meals include a course of soup, which can be hearty and hot or light and cold. Salads often contain eggplant grilled in olive oil. Feta cheese, grilled seafood and bulgur wheat are commonly used salad ingredients too. In fact, some salads can easily double as a main course for a light lunch, especially in summer.
If you're a sworn carnivore, you simply have to try kebabs, which are skewers of beef, chicken or lamb. Lamb chops are grilled to perfection, as are fish and other seafood such as octopus, with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil providing extra flavor. On a cold day, a rich and filling stew will warm body and soul.
If you're vegetarian, you'll be overjoyed to know that many Turkish dishes are meat-free. In fact, vegetables are an essential part of the country's cuisine and ones that are often used are onions, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers. Falafel add protein. The perfect vegetarian comfort food is a rich and creamy moussaka or a fragrant pilaf.
No meal is complete without something sweet at the end. In Turkey, desserts can be based on fruits such as figs and quinces. They can also be rich and creamy, such as rice pudding or exotic ice creams sprinkled with pistachios. A favorite with most diners is golden baklava with layers of crunchy nuts and drenched in syrup. This dish is especially good with a cup to strong Turkish coffee to accompany it.
There are several Long Island restaurants that specialize in the cuisines of Turkey and other Mediterranean countries. You simply need to check the local listings, search online or ask around for recommendations for one in, say, East Meadow NY. Many of these establishments also deliver, making it ever more convenient to bring the exotic right to your home.
Turkey is a country where many different culture meet and this diversity is reflected in the country's cuisine. The cultures of Greece, the Balkans, the Middle East and Central Asia all left their mark during the time these regions were part of or in close contact with the Ottoman Empire, which preceded modern-day Turkey. Ingredients are usually fresh and full of flavor.
To start your culinary journey, try a platter with several appetizers. These may include pickles, olives, cheese, dolmeh with their vine-leaf wrappings, golden falafel balls and small spinach and feta or feta and herb pies. Accompanying everything you'll normally find some tasty dips, including hummus and eggplant-based baba ghanoush.
Many meals include a course of soup, which can be hearty and hot or light and cold. Salads often contain eggplant grilled in olive oil. Feta cheese, grilled seafood and bulgur wheat are commonly used salad ingredients too. In fact, some salads can easily double as a main course for a light lunch, especially in summer.
If you're a sworn carnivore, you simply have to try kebabs, which are skewers of beef, chicken or lamb. Lamb chops are grilled to perfection, as are fish and other seafood such as octopus, with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil providing extra flavor. On a cold day, a rich and filling stew will warm body and soul.
If you're vegetarian, you'll be overjoyed to know that many Turkish dishes are meat-free. In fact, vegetables are an essential part of the country's cuisine and ones that are often used are onions, eggplant, zucchini and bell peppers. Falafel add protein. The perfect vegetarian comfort food is a rich and creamy moussaka or a fragrant pilaf.
No meal is complete without something sweet at the end. In Turkey, desserts can be based on fruits such as figs and quinces. They can also be rich and creamy, such as rice pudding or exotic ice creams sprinkled with pistachios. A favorite with most diners is golden baklava with layers of crunchy nuts and drenched in syrup. This dish is especially good with a cup to strong Turkish coffee to accompany it.
There are several Long Island restaurants that specialize in the cuisines of Turkey and other Mediterranean countries. You simply need to check the local listings, search online or ask around for recommendations for one in, say, East Meadow NY. Many of these establishments also deliver, making it ever more convenient to bring the exotic right to your home.
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