Swedish meatballs just one taste of Turkey's rich kofte culture - Al-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Subscribe for less than $9/month to access this story and all Al-Monitor reporting.

Or continue reading this article for free - Access 1 free article per month when you sign up.

By entering your email, you agree to receive ALM's daily newsletter and occasional marketing messages.

Why Al-Monitor?

Al-Monitor is an award-winning media outlet covering the Middle East, valued for its independence, diversity and analysis. It is read widely by US, international and Middle East decision makers at the highest levels, as well as by media, thought and business leaders and academia.

Read by

Live news & notifications

Follow over 100 expert journalists based across the region and get notified in real time of breaking stories and exclusives. *Expanded coverage on Energy & Defense sectors.

Premier analysis of the Middle East

Access the sharpest and most diverse regional minds giving you all the angles on regional trends.

Live events & video

Priority access to roundtables, summits and other events alongside ALM's global community of regional influencers.

Specialized Newsletters

Get timely reporting on key countries and sectors with up to 10 daily and weekly newsletters straight to your inbox.

Big, exclusive interviews

Follow conversations with the region's biggest names in politics and business.

ALM archives since 2012

Access a repository of over a decade's worth of regional coverage, insights and trends.

Subscribe for unlimited access

By becoming an Al-Monitor subscriber, you drive our team’s rigorous and independent journalism spanning the Middle East.

Continue

Ancient Mideast tastes mingle in stuffed holiday dishes

Nazlan Ertan

In Izmir and Istanbul, reporting on culture

Can raw meat dish rescue Turkey from export slump?

Zulfikar Dogan

A Turkish cook prepares doner kebab made of beef in a small restaurant in the Mediterranean Turkish city of Antalya January 17, 2006. Turkey's top holiday destination Antalya is concerned by the westward spread of the bird flu disease towards the city blessed by a long Mediterranean coast. Photo taken January 17, 2006. REUTERS/Umit Bektas PP06010254 - RTR18CPI

Doner kebab: late-night snack becomes haute cuisine

Pinar Tremblay

Baklava pastries are seen at a pastry shop on December 19, 2013 in Istanbul. While Turkey has vainly clamoured for years to join the European Union, a sweet pastry made in the country's southeast tasted more success on December 19, winning the EU's prized "protected status". The Gaziantep baklava, described as a "pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with semolina cream and Antep pistachio", became the first Turkish product to receive the coveted status. AFP PHOTO/ OZAN KOSE (Photo credit shou

Slow food, ancient cooking win Gaziantep spot on UNESCO list

Pinar Tremblay