Istanbul - Where East Meets West (Swing Istanbul)
There was a sensational silly song written in 1953 by Jimmy Kennedy and Nat Simon about one of the world's truly great cities. This tune has been recorded by a variety of artists, including Bette Midler, They Might Be Giants, Ska Cubano and the Four Aces (original). The number has also been featured in the 2003 film, ' Mona Lisa Smile', the Pierce Brosnan episode of The Muppets and The Simpsons show in which Homer buys an RV. Leave it to Tin Pan Alley to turn centuries of ethnic and religious struggles into a catchy swing-style ditty :-)
(NOT
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Old Constantinople still has Turkish delight on a moonlit night.
Every gal in Constantinople
Is a Miss-stanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul.
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
(People just liked it better that way).
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople.
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks!
Do do do,
Do do do,
Even old
Why they changed it I can't say
(People just liked it better that way).
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Now it's
Why did
That's nobody's business but the Turks!
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KARAKOY GULLUOGLU BAKLAVA SHOP
While in Istanbul, I had the privilege of visiting Karakoy Gulluoglu, the world-famous baklava bakery. If baklava is a symbol of Turkey, then Karakoy Gulluoglu is a symbol of baklava. In November 2004, a jury of gourmets and food authors sponsored by the daily newspaper "Hürriyet", chose the store as the top baklava shop in Turkey.
Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry found in many Middle East and Mediterranean cuisines. The popular dessert comes in several varieties. The most common is made in layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped pistachio nuts and walnuts and sweetened with sugar or honey.
Several cultures and ethnic groups claim to have invented baklava, including the Turks. Many say baklava has a special place among Turkish sweets. I do know that baklava has a special place in my stomach. When you taste a piece, it is almost impossible to resist taking another… and another.
Gulluoglu claims to produce 70,000 pieces of baklava per day. Our group alone seemed to consume that much :-D
The care that goes into making the dessert is astounding. Gulluoglu purchases each ingredient in its prime season. The pistachios come from Gaziantep; the walnuts from Karahisar. They choose the sugar beets from dry regions in order not to soften the baklava. The butter comes from the Urfa plateau. They even check weather conditions daily; if the weather is warm, the dough needs to be kneaded more thoroughly.
To paraphrase and butcher an old song written by Guy Clark:
"Turkish baklava, Turkish baklava
What would life be without Turkish baklava
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and Turkish baklava"
