Balkans | Bringing the tastes of Turkish cuisine to Croatia

Organized for the second time this year under the auspices of the Presidency and coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Turkish Cuisine Week was celebrated with various events held in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.

Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s wife, Emine Erdogan, an event was held in the capital Zagreb, coordinated by the Turkish Embassy in Zagreb, on the occasion of Turkish Cuisine Week.

Chef Yunus Emre Akur, winner of the Grand Cultural and Artistic Presidency Award in the field of gastronomy last year, cooked local dishes in 11 cities of Kahramanmaraş, which were damaged by earthquakes on February 6, as part of the event.

The flavors of the rich Turkish cuisine, which is the product of culture, traditions, social heritage, story and deep experience of more than a thousand years, were served to the guests at a gala dinner organized by the Turkish Embassy in a hotel in Zagreb.

The tastes of Turkish cuisine, which boils pots with a zero waste and sustainable philosophy with many features, was appreciated by the guests.

“Turkish cuisine is one of the richest cuisines in the world”

Turkey’s ambassador to Zagreb, Yavuz Selim Kiran, said that Turkish cuisine is one of the richest and most famous in the world.

Pointing out that cuisines are mirrors that reflect national identities, cultures and traditions, Kiran said, “Every bite contains not only food and taste, but also history, family, community, culture, beliefs and similar elements. Our cuisine has been enriched by the interaction of different civilizations and cultures for centuries. The richness of Turkish cuisine stems not only from its variety and taste, but also from its importance in social relations, he said.

Pointing out that the list includes dishes from 11 earthquake-damaged cities in Kahramanmaraş, Kiran continued as follows:

Our cities affected by the disaster are famous for their cuisine. Today’s menu includes selected dishes from Hatay and 10 other cities affected by the earthquake. This not only shows our respect for the memory of our losses, but also our determination to rebuild our cities with all their social, cultural and gastronomic life. Those cities will continue to host their guests with their kindest hospitality as before.”

“We will not forget the strong support provided by Türkiye”

Speaking on the program, Croatian Minister of Agriculture, Maria Vučković stated that they will not forget the strong support provided by Turkey in the earthquake disaster that occurred in their country in 2020.

Expressing that there are very good relations between the two countries in many areas, Vučković stated that one of the examples is Croatia’s lifting of restrictions on livestock exports to Turkey, and that he thanked Ambassador Yavuz Selim Kiran for his support in this. Theme.

The General Directorate of Geisel Arts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Istanbul, the Turkish Music Research and Application Team of the State of Istanbul, performed Turkish musical works for the guests during the program.

The program was attended by the Croatian Chief of Staff Robert Hrani, Director of the National Security Council Valentino Franjic, Foreign Policy Adviser to the President Ambassador Neven Bilikaric, and some Turkish deputy ministers, deputies and businessmen.

Turkish music breezes through the streets of Zagreb

On the other hand, the Istanbul State Turkish Music Research Ensemble of the General Directorate of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism performed Turkish musical works on the streets of Zagreb.

Croatian citizens and tourists in the city watched the performance, which presented the works “There is a silk carpet in their house” and “Making fluffy snow” to the audience’s taste.

Some of the listeners kept the rhythm to the accompaniment of the music, and some danced. In addition to Turkish cuisine, Turkish music was also appreciated in Zagreb.

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