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Country

Türkiye

I have 3 sourced drinks connected to Türkiye. The label on each card says how: where it began, what the country is known for, what people drink there, or where the origin is disputed.

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Türkiye on the world map. Boundaries are generalized Natural Earth data.

Drinks of Türkiye

Signature drinks and regional ones, with the evidence behind each. A drink marked non-alcoholic has no alcohol in the traditional serve.

  • Illustration of Ayran: opaque white and thin with a pale foam head, in a hammered copper cup.

    Ayran

    IconicSignature drinkNon-alcoholic

    Yogurt whisked with iced water and salt into a cold savory drink. Mint may be added and some versions are carbonated. It appears in a copper cup called a maşrapa, a tall glass, or a copper pitcher, and some regional methods produce a foam on top.

    Wikipedia says Turkic tribes developed it and cites an 11th century dictionary that defines the word as a milk drink. It adds that in 2013 the prime minister promoted ayran as Turkey's national drink.

    Made with: yogurt, cold water, salt.

    Confidence: mediumEvidence: en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)

  • Illustration of Rakı with Water (Lion's Milk): opaque milky white, in a tall narrow straight glass.

    Rakı with Water (Lion's Milk)

    IconicSignature drink

    Rakı poured into a tall narrow glass, then thinned with water in a ratio of about 1 part rakı to 1 or 2 parts water, with ice last. The mix turns milky white and is nicknamed aslan sütü, lion's milk. It is sipped slowly at a long meal with meze such as white cheese with melon, haydari, fava and grilled fish.

    Wikipedia says the earliest known literary use of the word rakı is in Fuzuli's work of 1510 to 1514 and that Evliya Çelebi mentions it in 1630. Rakı received a Turkish geographical indication in 2009, and My Turkey Adventure calls it Türkiye's national drink.

    Made with: rakı (aniseed grape spirit), chilled water, ice.

    Confidence: highEvidence: myturkeyadventure.com (opens in a new tab), en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)

  • Illustration of Şalgam: opaque deep purple-red, slightly cloudy, still, in a tall straight glass.

    Şalgam

    Adana and southern Turkey

    PopularRegional drinkNon-alcoholic

    A salty, sour fermented drink made from purple carrot brine with turnip and bulgur, drunk cold. It is poured into a separate glass beside rakı, and a slice of purple carrot, sometimes with paprika or garlic wedges, is often added just before drinking.

    Wikipedia cites the French traveler Pierre Belon describing its production in the 16th century and says the Adana şalgam festival has run since 2010. Large-scale factory production began in 1996.

    Made with: purple carrot, turnip, bulgur starter, rock salt, water.

    Confidence: mediumEvidence: en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab), jidlonacestach.cz (opens in a new tab), newsonline.chainedesrotisseurs.com (opens in a new tab)

Map data: Natural Earth, public domain.