Tag: simit

Simit, Simit, Simit, Simit, and Simit

M's Adventures

Simit is the “Turkish bagel” or so they say. I did not think so until I had the kind that sort of reminded me of a bagel. There are subtleties to simit that I have not yet fully comprehended. Some are coated in butter, some are coated in sesame seeds, some are baked harder, and some are coated in molasses. These are the five types that I have discovered in Adana. Apparently the molasses one is special to Adana. (Scroll down to see it)

Fluffy sesame simit
Twisted slightly chewy simit
Baked like pizza simit – also chewy — pizza bottom crust.
Dipped in molasses simit – crunchy and sweet.
Kazan, I think. These are twisted, chewy, and basted in molasses.

There is an old simit shop that has been around for more than 100 years, supposedly. They do one kind of simit. The kazan. Each simit costs around 10 lira. Bread prices are controlled by the government.

Generally, simit is a breakfast item, or a tea item. There are simit vendors who roam the streets and usually the simit they sell is the kazan simit. Simit is often paired with a processed cheese product sort of like the pie shaped Laughing Cow. The Turkish variety is funkier and takes getting used to. I am now digging it.

I have my favorite places and those usually bake fresh simit all the time. It is wonderful to smell fresh baked simit and even better to chew into it.

From Rome to New Rome to Before Rome

M's Adventures
The Roman Stone Bridge with the Sabanci Central Mosque in the background.

A few years ago, I lived in Rome, Italy. For the past two years, I lived in the “new Rome” of Washington, DC, in the USA. Now, I have moved to a place that is still connected to Rome (after all, all roads…) but it’s also near history from before Rome. (Rome was founded in 753 BCE). I’ve moved to Adana, Türkiye.

A “simit” vendor on the Roman Stone bridge.

Despite being a city of two million people, Adana is a less famous than Istanbul (Istanbul is 575 miles/925 kilometers from Adana) but Istanbul is its own universe.

Adana kebab is minced meat. It is the most famous dish from Adana.

I’ve moved somewhere famous for its kebab (More on that later). Adana is also known for its Roman stone bridge (Taşköprü in Turkish), and more recently for being near the location of another famous bridge (Varda Viaduct) featured in a recent James Bond movie. But there are over 12,000 years of history in this area of the world including the famous Göbekli Tepe, from 9500-8000 BCE.

There is so much to explore. I look forward to the adventure!