Update: No longer lost in translation

After posting about my oregano and thyme translation drama yesterday, I sought out the help of the Expat world in Turkey and posted on one of the expat pages.

I was informed that in fact that correct translation for oregano is "güveyotu".

Oregano is not very common in Turkey and Wikipedia even reports that thyme is most commonly used in Turkish cuisine.

If you are in search of it, I believe you can find it possibly at Mısır Çarşı, the Egyptian Spice Market, in Eminönü.

Lost in translation

On a recent trip to the Şişli Organik Pazarı, my friend and I discovered the translation confusion or lack of translation for two common herbs; Oregano and Thyme.

In the dictionary both translate to "kekik" in Turkish, but, as us native speakers and foodie people know, they are two very different herbs.

According to Wikipedia, thyme is a basic ingredient in Turkish food, but it doesn't say the same for oregano, which is common in Greek, Spanish and Italian cooking.

I was told by someone that oregano is not common in Turkey and very hard to find, so kekik is in fact the word for thyme.

So what about when I see the name in English on a pack of kekik as "oregano"? Does this mean that it's thyme?

Does anyone have the answer to this culinary question?

A night outdoors

summer time
night air
cool breeze
easy tunes

good food
good wine
good friend
happy times

Bej Restaurant

İstinye Bayırı Caddesi - İstinye Park

(0 212) 345 63 87

The map to nowhere

On Saturday I set out to find the Şişli Organik Pazarı in an area of Istanbul I hadn't visited before. I went along with my heavily pregnant friend Jade.

I thought from a map a friend had drawn that it would be fairly straightforward to find. Jade also had a map from the internet which seemed to point us in the same direction. So, with maps in hand, we envisaged we would be there in about 15 minutes. So off we went.

But soon after we set off we realised that we were on the road to nowhere with our maps as the otopark where the pazar was supposed to be held was nowhere to be found. After asking many shopkeepers and calling my friend who supplied me with my map, we managed to find the pazar, after much pavement pounding, albeit a little bit hot and bothered.

It was strangely located in an underground car park, which, although odd, offered up protection from the afternoon sun and provided a cool space in which to browse in.

What we realised however, was the downside to organic in Turkey = very expensive. Organic is still yet to really break through here and not everyone can appreciate the clean natural food and of course, the price that comes with it.

Nonetheless, we sat and enjoyed a fresh organic juice (TL 5) and a fresh gözleme which resembles a savoury pancake with spinach and cheese. It's then cooked over a concave heated dome and served piping hot. For only TL 4, it was the best bargain of the day. With that followed a fresh piece of homemade lemon cake (3 TL).

The pazar is worth a look. Although expensive you can find a variety of items from dried fruits, legumes, lentils and fresh produce to organic household cleaning products and organic cotton clothes, all with orgnic certification. The atmosphere is relaxed and easy and the food on offer to purchase is fresh and tasty. There is also a small Organik Büfe next to the pazar where you can also have tea from.

Şişli Organik Pazarı

Feriköy Semt Pazarı, Bomonti Caddesi, Lala Şahin Sokak

(Eski Tekel Bira Fabrikası alt sokağı) Feriköy - Şişli

Tel: (0 212) 252 52 55

www.bugday.org

Every Saturday from 08:00 - 17:00

Packages in the mail!

I love getting mail.

Yesterday I received a package from my mum with the most recent copy of The Australian Women's Weekly, a hand written letter and photo of mum and a couple of friends. I also received a beautiful handmade card from my sister.

Immediately my mood lifted and I felt a rush of excitement and happiness. It's amazing what the small things can do.

The postage cost more than double that of the magazine, but I'm sure she knows how much I appreciate it!

I sat up in bed last night and read the magazine cover to cover twice, including all the adverts. It was great and I felt back in the loop with the Australian tabloid gossip and goings on.

Today I also received my first copy of Glamour in replacement of my subscription to Domino which went out of business earlier this year. Foreign magazines cost so much here, sometimes four or fives times that of the marked price so I decided to invest in a couple of subscriptions. I also signed up for Jamie Oliver's cooking magazine which I should receive next month.

I'm hoping that may encourage more cooking and more time in the kitchen for me. We'll see.

Short Breaks - Part Two - London

I didn't realise how much I missed London until I was there. I forgot how fast paced it was especially when riding the tube and pacing the tunnels of the underground system from one tube line to another. I forgot how multicultural it was and how many different people from all around the world live there. It's such a melting pot. It is a place of comings and goings; where people are either transitting through or find themselves staying for an indefinite period of time. It's a place you can very easily get stuck to.

London is so green. Although a metropolis of people and buildings, there is a lot of green which was a beautiful sight as we flew in over Greater London.

You can get attached to London for many different reasons. I got attached because of its location, the sense of adventure it provided me and the fact I could go anywhere in Europe with such ease, and also because of its similarity to Australia. Being in London this time round not only reminded me of my life and the experiences I had there, but also bought back memories of my various trips to places like Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Italy and all the trips to Turkey I took to come and visit my sweetheart. Although I loved to leave to go on those trips, I always returned to London at the end of the trip feeling like I was coming home.

Being in London again filled me with excitement and bought back good memories. It was so refreshing to catch up with familiar faces - long time friends, and chat over endless coffees about our respective lives and what they were all up to in London; two of them are there for the short term before heading back to NY and then onto Hong Kong; two others have been there for the past five years, but will leave for Australia in the coming months; and one other is deciding whether to stay or go. All of them in transition and all of them contemplating their next move and destination.

I was fortunate to stay with friends in the most lovely little part of London, Notting Hill, off Kensington Park Road which was close to great shops, cafes and restaurants. With my New Yorker friends we had a great meal at the upstairs restaurant Bumpkin on Westbourne Park Road which styles itself as a country brasserie with traditional meals such as pies and fish and chips but also turns out sumptuous dishes of free range chicken, lamb, organic salmon and 28 day Yorkshire rib eye. We all ordered three courses and sides and got to taste each other dishes which were all very delicious. It was a nice change from the ever overcooked meat that is so commonly served in Turkey and a nice change to not have vegetables swimming in olive oil. But what was most delish, was the Banoffee pie, which I shamefully admit to never tasting before until now. If you have never experienced Banoffee pie, you must. It was the most moreish combination of caramel, cream, banana and crushed biscuits layered inside a tumbler glass. The most perfect combination of flavours with the crunch of the biscuit. I was truly in dessert heaven. Really. I was.

We also fulfilled my Thai cravings and had dinner at Market Thai restaurant in Notting Hill on Portobello Road, which is situated atop a pub and is family run and owned. The atmosphere is relaxed and quite laid back. It is reported to be one of the best cheap eats in town, but the food remained authentic with a good amount of spice and heat. I had really missed authentic Thai food, so it was a real treat to eat duck, green chicken curry, pad Thai, spring rolls and prawn toast and lots of peanut sauce.

I miss being able to easily find meals of pasta, Thai, Chinese, Lebanese or Greek, but simply I miss the huge variety of food that London has to offer. You can find a market or organic shop easily and buy fresh produce that differs so much and offers many speciality fruits and vegetables along with great cuts of organic meat, chicken and even more speciality meats like emu, roo or wagu. You can find whatever kind of restaurant food you want usually within walking distance of your home and if not, you can find the ingredients in the supermarket to cook it yourself.

I walked the streets of Notting Hill and cruised down Brompton Road from Knightsbridge to Gloucester Road and rode the tube to Oxford Street, Regent Street and High Street Kensington. I was coiffed and pampered in Kilburn and I ate on-the-go with a sandwich from Eat in one hand and a latte in the other. I didn't want to miss anything or waste any time so I ate on the go most days. I walked Portobello Road and devoured fresh pastries with butter and homemade jam. I stocked up on the essentials at Boots and stopped in at H&M for some sale shopping. I scanned the food isles of M&S for their tasty salads and gourmet sandwiches. It was a nice change to feel the fresh cool air on my face as I walked and not have to inhale a cloud of smoke from cars and trucks racing by as they honk their horns endlessly. It was peaceful and relaxing to walk the streets and and not be terrorised and barked at by street dogs. I felt recharged, refreshed and alive.

It was great to feel London again. To live it, if only for a few days. I love falling in line with the pace of a city and also being able to walk everywhere or use multiple modes of transport to get to your final destination. I can understand how some of my friends have found themselves there after so many years and wondering why they haven't left already. When you are there you find yourself perplexed by the cost of things, the weather and crowded transport, only to miss it like crazy once you've gone.

I don't know really what it is about London, it just seems to pull you in and doesn't let you go.

Kendin pişir, kendin ye!

On Saturday afternoon we took a ride to the Asian side to a place near to Şile which is around 70kms from Istanbul. Many Istanbul residents have houses in Şile where they go during the summer. The name of the place in Turkish is "kendin pişir, kendin ye", but the literal translation is exactly "cook yourself, eat yourself", which had us all laughing.

The place we went to was set up for people to go and have a bbq but the unique thing about this place is that it provides everything from the bbq itself, meat, salad and drinks. It's kind of a strange concept to an Australian who would usually go to a bbq in their own backyard or a friends, however, for most Turks who may only have a balcony or small garden, it's a great way to barbeque in the great outdoors without smoking out your neighbours.

It was beautiful to sit outside with my toes in the grass with trees all around with the smell of grilling meat, tomatoes and peppers filling the air. We were served fresh yoghurt and salad and after the meal we had our own çay samovar set up next to our table where we had endless tea on tap. It was a really nice change from going to a restaurant and enjoying the great outdoors!

Short Breaks - Part One - Bolu & Abant

Snow capped mountains, Abant

Back at the start of May we took a shot trip to Ankara to visit my husband's family. On the way we stopped at Bolu and Abant, which are both such beautiful places. Bolu is a place we frequent on our trips to Ankara where we enjoy the lamb chop that the area is well known for as well as the fresh yoghurt and butter and honey. So, so tasty. We always make sure to stop on the way up to Bolu to buy a fresh loaf of hot Safranbolu bread, straight out of the oven. The trip came at a time when the weather had started to improve and the sun was shining, families were out walking around the lake in Abant and it was so nice to take in the sweet smelling fresh air along with the peace and quiet.

Abant Lake

London calling

Tomorrow I will take a much needed trip away to London where I will see my friends and visit old places I once used to haunt. I have a tonne of great and happy memories of my time in London and look forward to revisiting the city.

I am so looking forward to drinking proper lattes and eating tasty fresh organic food, yummy cooked breakfasts of blueberry pancakes or fresh porridge and maybe a curry or Thai meal.

I'm looking forward to walking the streets of Notting Hill and peeking in the windows of all my favourite shops like Reiss, Topshop, GAP and Selfridges. I'm looking forward to riding the fast and frequent tube and pounding the pavement in my trainers in order to get from a to b.

There are lots of things I miss about London.

I'll fill you in on my travels when I return.

What's in a name?

Since my marriage last year, I hadn't thought too much about my surname, although now when I think about it, I'm not really sure what my surname is?

In Turkey I'm known more with my maiden name than my married name. At work I am known with my maiden name, all my email addresses, credit cards, bank accounts, passport, residence and work permits have my maiden name. In fact, the only document that lists me as having taken my husband's name is our wedding booklet.

See the problem is, the thought of changing my surname once and for all leaves me with feelings of a sudden loss of identity, especially since I live in a foreign country, and having dark brown hair and brown eyes, I tend to just blend in so the only half noticeable difference which separates me as a foreigner is in fact my name. I feel like my name is a link to where I'm from and it's part of who I am. Plus, there is no male to carry on the name so once I change my name, the Mitchell name will end.

Sometimes people find my first name difficult to pronounce, especially for Turkish non-English speakers. So to make it easier at times, I tell people, to "call me 'Rana'". But now with my husbands surname and people using Rana as my first name, the person formerly known as me suddenly disappears and I'm left asking myself "what happened to Renai Mitchell?"

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against my husbands surname and I like his surname. I understand what it represents and the history and family behind it.

So you are all probably thinking, then what's the big deal? Other than the fact that my husbands surname and my name sound slightly weird together, it just doesn't sound like me.

Since moving to London in 2005 and then to Istanbul in 2007, I have felt a much deeper sense of not only love and appreciation for my homeland, but also a deeper connection to it. It's the place my heart longs for now that I live abroad and a place that I identify with and feel I belong to.

So, that brings me to my naming options. Here in Turkey, its not so easy to keep your maiden name. You have to either take your husbands name or get yourself a hyphen or a double-barrell. I'm not a fan of hyphenating or double-barrelling though. I think only certain names can be hyphenated and generally they need to be short sharp names. Luckily my husbands surname is only made up of five letters, but some Turkish names can take forever to pronounce.

Along with this comes the issue of middle names. I have one, but in Turkey it's not particularly common. In Australia you can easily gloss over your middle name, but here you must add it to absolutely everything; forms, signatures on official documents, bank accounts etc. So with that, my name could potentially turn into a four word name if I double-barrell it, which I really don't want or like.

What to do, what to do? I'm still unsure as to whether to have a double barrelled surname or to give my maiden name up fully. I have time at least until my passport expires or at least until my next visit home where I will apply for a new passport with my "new" name, whatever that will be.

All in all I feel a loss of identity more than anything. Of course, I will still be the same person, just with a different name which brings me back to my own question which I'm not sure I have answered; what's really is in a name?