Turkish cuisine: a planet and vegan-friendly food, culture, and folklore

Abstract

Turkish cuisine is one of the richest in the world with its strong historical and intercultural background. Contrary to the common perception, Turkish food culture is not all meat-centric; it has an incredibly rich diversity of vegan choices. Traditional Turkish cuisine also extends to ceremonial and traditional occasions, such as weddings, burial ceremonies, some religious events, circumcisions, migrations, journeys, hosting guests, and welcoming newborns. On these occasions, Turks prepare the best and most loved traditional foods to eat and share together. The prepared foods are mostly vegetarianfriendly, and meat is consumed in very restricted amounts. This paper explores the planet- and veganfriendly features of the Turkish food culture and its links with folklore.