Forget About Garlic and Turkish Delight... 15 Local Tastes Special to This City is Legendary!

When it comes to Kastamonu, everyone thinks about garlic. Especially Taşköprü garlic is really delicious... But Kastamonu has another lesser-known story; actually, Kastamonu is the region from where the candy making spread around Turkey. Famous Hacı Bekir was from Kastamonu, and he introduced Turkish Delight around the world.

Thanks to its rich soil and suitable climate, the people of Kastamonu reach the freshest of everything, and they have a unique nutrition culture. Restaurant and cafe concept was introduced relatively late in this geography, and in general, all the local delicacies are cooked at homes. However, as the restaurants spread in the recent period, it is also possible to try these tastes in the restaurants.

Kastamonu’s apple, thin-skinned plum, Taşköprü garlic, Tosya rice and grapes are among the well-known foods around the world. However, here are the foods which are famous around the neighbour cities:

• İnebolu: Chestnut, cherry, linden
• Azdavay: Pear
• Araç: Walnut and cornelian cherry
• Daday and Taşköprü: Plum (white plum, damson plum, dark plum)
• Forests: Wild strawberry, mushrooms (ram, milkcap, rockling, emperor), thyme, orchid tubers (salep).

So what to try in this distinguished city? Kastamonu offers a great variety of local delicacies, so we list the alternatives for you.

1. Meat Bread:

The most well-known dish of Kastamonu is Meat Bread but please do not confuse it with the one in Konya... Because they are not even close to each other. The meat stuffing is wrapped in filo pastry and baked generally on the metal sheet. You can find this taste at the bakeries in Kastamonu, and it is mostly preferred for lunch.

2. Pastrami:

Even though it is not as popular as Kayseri pastrami, Kastamonu’s pastrami is known for its quality and flavour by many who have the palatal delight. The pastrami is sold out before it is March, and the main reason is the orders received from the people in Istanbul and Ankara. If you want to buy pastrami from this city, please keep in mind these months!

Pastrami is made of veal, cow and buffalo meat, and it is dried under the sun for 7-21 days depending on the temperature. The pastrami is prepared in three categories, lean, medium fat and very fat.

3. Sujuk:

Kastamonu's sujuk is known for its taste. The visitors to Kastamonu always buy this delicious food after tasting. A difference of this sujuk is that it can be consumed even without cooking!

4. Bandırma (Dipping):

We can consider this food in the pastry category, and it is prepared with the combination of filo pastry and turkey or chicken meat. The filo pastry is filled with meat, and the outside is dipped to meat broth. And the last touch is the butter on the top. It is also referred to as "Bandurma" among the local people and definitely served to the guests. It is also a sahur food during the month Ramadan.

5. Pie with Suet:

While the cookie dough is prepared, melted suet is used instead of regular oil. The cookies baked in the oven are served with tea or buttermilk drink. It is one of the food baked for the women's guest days.

6. Döner Kebab:

Hamdi Usta started to make döner in Kastamonu for the first time about 150 years ago. Kastamonu is almost as famous as Erzurum, Ankara and Bursa on döner, and the most important issue is the meat. Certainly fresh, tender and male sheep meat is preferred. No ground meat is added to the ingredients, and the meat used for döner is cleared of all tenders.

7. Çekme Halva (Pull Candy):

We can say that this taste resembles to the Palace Halva of Mudurnu and Pismaniye of İzmit... You can find it almost any gift shop in Kastamonu.

8. Mıklama (Omelette):

This food is referred to as "Mıhlama" among the local people, and it is cooked in a relatively short time. Whichever type is preferred, eggs are cracked over. The most preferred ones are meat mıklama, ground meat mıklama, spinach mıklama, potato mıklama, mushroom mıklama and cottage cheese mıklama.

9. Anakız (Mother - Daughter) Soup:

It is cooked as the mix-up of lentil and bulgur; the other ingredients are salt, yoghurt and mint. The soup is served on the plates or placed in the middle of the table on a bowl.

10. Anakız (Mother - Daughter) Rice:

When the bulgur and lentil are cooked until boiling down, the butter is melted in a small pan and poured on the rice. The rice is placed on a tray, and the butter is poured on the tray. After the rice is rested for a while, it is enjoyed.

11. Biryan:

It is generally referred to as “Biyran” among the local people. It is a common dish in the central district of Kastamonu and Taşköprü District. It is also named as pit kebab and kazık (pole) kebab.

The best biryan is cooked with sheep and lamb meat. Biryan is eaten only for lunch and with fingers. Definitely onion and buttermilk drink is a need with this food. It can also be enjoyed with rice as rice with biryan. And also the rice is cooked by stuffing the sheep which is hanged in the pit.

12. Tirit (Brewis):

When the ground meat, fat and pepper mixture is cooked, this mixture is spread over the bread on the tray. If desired, the butter melted in a small pan and poured over the tirit. Tirit is made of the bread called serme. And in the central district of Kastamonu, tirit is made of simit without sesame. Simit tirit is a really popular food.

13. Thin-Skinned Plum Compote:

The best thin-skinned plums in Turkey are grown in only Kastamonu. Thin-skinned plum can be enjoyed as a compote.

14. Pelverde (Molasses):

It is consumed as marmalade and jam. Ripe plums (damson, thin-skinned) are boiled and condensed. When it is more condensed than the jam, it is taken off the stove. Pelverde can also be made of apple, pear and quince.

15. Cranberry Drink:

The ripe cranberries which are called as “Kiren” in Kastamonu region are picked from the cornel trees. After boiled, they are placed in small pots. This drink with a sour flavour is mixed with water and sugar in the winter.

FAMOUS RESTAURANTS IN KASTAMONU

-         Canoğlu

-         Cem Sultan Bedesteni Restaurant

-         Çilekli Et Restoran

-         Eflanili Konağı

-         Kaya Etli Ekmek ve Pide Salonu

-         Kurşunluhan Restoran

-         Memiş Etli Ekmek Daday

-         Münire Sultan Sofrası

-         Naila Döner

-         Ulugöl Kebap-Pide-İskender Salonu