AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Figgy feelings AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Figgy feelings!

It must be in my genes; I cannot tolerate the heat in summer, especially when combined with humidity. With two grandmothers from North geographies — one German from Königsberg, and the other Caucasian from Crimea — I feel like a polar bear in a desert when heatwaves strike.

August 17 2026
Remembering Malatya taste by taste AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Remembering Malatya taste by taste

I am in Malatya to celebrate the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, specifically for the gastronomy leg. The event is held at a different destination every other week, beginning with a tour of the city’s top food spots guided by a chef, along with a group of food writers, food researchers and experts. It is practically a marathon of tasting, quite exhausting, but well worth the effort. This year, 26 cities are participating; each week starts with the discovery of “Taste Spots,” which highlight the main traditional favorites of the locals, while the remainder of the week features a series of exhibitions, concerts and cultural events.

August 10 2026
A gentleman of grapes AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

A gentleman of grapes

We were driving toward the vineyards. Suddenly, he pulled over and looked up at the sky. A plane was taking off. He watched the plane for a while. He seemed to be flying away with the plane. He was surely seeing something beyond a plane simply taking off. Perhaps it was an imagined destination or himself dressed handsomely in the cockpit. As the plane almost disappeared in the sky, he murmured dreamily: “I always dreamed of becoming a pilot when I was young.”

August 03 2026
Culinary discoveries AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Culinary discoveries

On these hot summer days, many people head to the mountains, to the highlands and to the north.

July 27 2026
Message on the table AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Message on the table

The 2026 NATO summit in Ankara was not all about politics; one aspect that made headlines was gastronomy. The summit presented a great opportunity to showcase Turkish cuisine on the international stage. State dinners and receptions at international platforms or bilateral meetings also provide opportunities to display gastronomic diplomacy.

July 13 2026
Domenica dolce AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

Domenica dolce

What defines a lazy summer lunch al fresco more than a bowl of pasta?

July 06 2026
50 shades of taste in Bursa AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

50 shades of taste in Bursa

There is always a reason to return to Bursa, and it usually involves something delicious. This time, my journey back was inspired by the Türkiye Culture Route Festival, a massive initiative organized by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. Now in its sixth year, the festival spans 26 cities across the country, showcasing a vibrant lineup of exhibitions, concerts and artisan workshops. My mission, however, was purely culinary: I was on the team tasked with uncovering the city’s gastronomy. In every host city, the festival highlights local culinary heritage by curating a list of “Taste Spots” and spotlighting regional ingredients. Bursa, already famous for its rich gastronomic history, outdid itself this year — and outshined many other cities — by mapping out a whopping 50 distinct taste stops. It was an invitation far too tempting to pass up. I knew right then that it was going to be an incredibly delicious weekend.

June 29 2026
A sweet summer night AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

A sweet summer night

It was a sweet summer evening in Paris. The event was even sweeter. The annual La Liste Pastry Special Awards summer party was held in the gardens of the historic Les Invalides. The party was definitely the place to be for those with a sweet tooth; not just to taste the exquisite flavors, but also to mingle with the greatest chefs in the industry. Thirty-six awards were presented across 18 countries in 12 categories, celebrating global champions who seamlessly unite innovative modern techniques with traditional artisanal flavors.

June 22 2026
A cool splash AYLİN ÖNEY TAN

A cool splash

Ice-cold and refreshing! A cool splash of ice cubes swimming happily in a jug of thirst-quenching tea. June 10 was celebrated as World Iced Tea Day. The timing is perfect, to be honest. We can’t give up tea, but when the summer heat hits, there’s nothing quite like the icy-cold, refreshing taste of iced tea quenching your thirst. Who could say no to a huge glass of iced tea, garnished with lemon slices and fresh mint leaves, with the cold from the ice fogging up the glass? The history of how ice met tea is quite interesting. But first, let’s take a brief look at the history of tea in Türkiye.

June 15 2026