Turkish National Drinks You Must Try

26 January 2022

Turkey is a rich country in terms of its cuisine and you will find a wide variety of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks all over the country.
These hot or cold beverages are part of the Turkish culture and a foreigner should taste them when visiting the country.
This blog will get you acquainted with these drinks and explain how they are made.

Turkish Tea

Contrary to popular belief, coffee is not Turkey’s national drink.
The most popular hot drink in Turkey is in fact tea. The Turks consume large quantities of tea daily. Caykur is a national tea producer based in Rize on the Northwestern coast of Turkey and they produce thousands of tons of tea a month.
The traditional way to drink Turkish tea is from delicate tulip shaped glasses and it’s brewed in double teapot. Turkish tea is nearly always drunk black.

Turkish coffee

This coffee is strong and traditionally made in copper jugs over a flame or over hot sand. Turkish coffee is very finely ground and must be served with a thick frothy surface. It’s served in little cups and normally accompanied with a glass of water. The water is drunk first to clean the mouth so the coffee can be tasted to its full deliciousness. After drinking the coffee, the cup and saucer can be flipped over so the coffee remains can be read.

Ayran (yogurt drink)

This Turkish drink is one you will either love or hate. It’s made from diluted yogurt, water and salt. Ayran is a refreshing drink and often accompanies meat dishes. It’s also a great drink for during the summer months.
It is common all over Turkey but can have a slight variation on thickness in different regions of Turkey. In the south ayran is drunk much thicker.
Traditional ayran was made in Susurluk near Balikesir where the ayran is frothy and bubbly.

Salgam (Turnip Juice)

This deep reddish pink colored drink is made with turnip juice, purple carrots, salt, pepper and spices and is fermented with bulgur.
This drink has a sometimes sour flavor and is also available spicy.
Salgam originates from the south eastern cities of Turkey in Adana and Mersin.
It’s a healthy drink and contains a lot of vitamin C
The Turks sometimes drink this with Turkish Raki. It’s an acquired taste and not very popular with foreigners, but still something to try.

Boza

This thick smoothie like drink is a very popular drink in Turkey and is normally drunk in the winter months.
It’s made from millet, water, sugar and yeast. After boza is prepared, cinnamon powder is normally sprinkled on top. This thick hearty drink is very nutritious and is used to warm up and strengthen the body.

Salep

This is another warming drink that is mostly drunk during the winter months. It’s made from orchid powder and is drunk hot. The thicker the salep gets, the better it is.
It’s used in Turkey as a remedy for a sore throat and a cold.
Traditionally the salep comes from mountain orchids. The orchids have tuberous roots rich of a starch like substance. These tubers are gathered while the plant is in flower, washed and boiled in water or milk and then dried. Once dry, they are grinded to a powder called salep.
Sometimes, due to salep being expensive, corn starch is used as a substitute.

Tursu Suyu (Pickled Vegetable Water)

This is made from pickled vegetables including carrots, beetroots, gherkins, onions, peppers and garlic.
It’s a sour and quite salty drink, but very healthy and leaves a unique taste in your mouth after the first glass. This sometimes comes with sticks of pickled vegetables inside for a bit of crunch.

Sherbet (Ottoman Sherbet)

If you are visiting Turkey in the summer definitely don’t miss out on trying Turkish sherbet. It is one of the best cold, sweet and non alcoholic drinks like a cordial and is made from fruit, flower petals and spices.
There are a wide variety of unique flavors of sherbet such as lemon, rose, pomegranate, plums, cherries, sandalwood, orange and cloves.
In Turkey it is known as Ottoman sherbet and can have an intense yet refreshing flavor. It played a big part of Ottoman cuisine and is popular sometimes served alongside Turkish coffee.
This tasty cordial is said to have healing effects against certain diseases.
Make sure you try this delicious drink on a hot summer’s day.

Raki

Raki is Turkey’s national alcoholic drink with a very strong aniseed flavor and can be compared to Ouzo. It is made from grapes, figs or plums.
Raki is usually mixed with water and ice and is the perfect accompaniment to fish and meze dishes. It is also enjoyed with just cheese and melon.
Raki should be drunk slowly and savoured.
In Turkey, raki is nicknamed ‘the lion’s milk’ because of the white color it takes after adding the water.

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