Pazar

Local Outdoor Market 

One thing I have come to love about living in Turkey is the easy access to fresh (and cheap!) fruits and vegetables. In many areas throughout the country, one day each week is dedicated as a “Pazar Day.” On this special day, residential streets are closed to traffic and a market is set up. In the early hours of the morning men come with large trucks full of produce, dairy products, fish, clothing and household goods. They hang tarp or cloth over the streets to provide some shelter from sun and rain. They set up tables and begin to lay out their goods to sell. The displays are amazing! You won’t find a random box of produce. They carefully stack each item into a tower, often adding a contrasting item or bunch of leaves to make their display look special. Those selling shoes, clothing and purses will hang them up or dress mannequins to make their items look appealing. As you wander down the streets of the pazar all your senses will be pleased and maybe slightly overwhelmed. The smells from spices like thyme, cumin and rosemary mix with the fresh fruit that is currently in season and the fresh cheeses. Many sellers will be loudly proclaiming the prices of their wares as they entice those walking past to buy something. The vivid colors of the produce and clothing mixes with the shiny pots and glassware.

While there is a large variety of produce available in Turkey, it can generally only be purchased in season thus ensuring the best taste and price. In the summer you will find an abundance of juicy peaches, ruby red cherries, small purple plums, tangy nectarines, and blush colored apricots as well as a variety of melons. As the weather begins to cool you can buy luscious grapes and ripe figs. Throughout the winter months you can easily find fresh pears, dark orange clementines, large yellow quince, and bright red pomegranates. Large, juicy oranges are also available in abundance all winter long and are very inexpensive. I often will buy 5 kilos or more each week while they are in season and have fresh squeezed orange juice each morning for breakfast which is always a special treat. As the weather begins to warm into spring you will start to see small green sour plums, crimson strawberries and black mulberries. And that’s only the fruit!

Long, slender eggplant, tiny seedless cucumbers, ruby red tomatoes, pale green squash and a variety of spicy and sweet peppers can be found all year long. Pumpkins are so large that sellers cut off pieces to sell in late-fall along with heads of broccoli, cauliflower and leeks. A variety of lettuce, spinach and many greens I have yet to identify are available in plenty during various seasons. Bunches of fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, dill and spring onions are a staple. It’s common to find large basins of artichoke hearts floating in water and a variety of turnips and mushrooms.

At every pazar there will be at least a few stalls of kuruyemiş (koo-roo-yeh-meesh) where you can find a variety of dried fruit and nuts. There’s never just one variety of dried figs, dates and apricots but a whole smorgasbord from which to choose. The same goes for the many pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Each one comes from a different region thus lending a slightly different taste (and price!).

I have purchased most of my wardrobe at my local Thursday pazar. While not the highest quality, the sweaters, tank-tops and shirts offered are incredibly cheap and comfortable. It’s not uncommon to find an older, covered woman sitting at one of the stalls knitting hand-made baby items. Other stalls sell pots, pans, dishes and any kitchen utensil imaginable. I bought lace curtains and drapes from one man and some beautiful tablecloths and a simple picnic cloth from another.

Probably the most notable thing about grocery shopping at these markets is the ability to taste before you buy. Very often if you linger too long at a stall the seller will offer you some of the food to taste in hopes that it entices you to buy. This comes in handy when deciding between the 30 different varieties of black or green olives or to ensure that the fruit is fresh and sweet. After tasting a variety of white cheeses one week I finally decided on one to purchase. Several months later when I wanted to buy some cheese again the man remembered exactly which one I had decided on nearly a year earlier and packaged it up for me right away. It’s fun to build a rapport with the sellers and know that they look out for you. I have bought a flat of eggs from the same man each Thursday now for so many years that if I miss a week he will inquire about my health and if I’m okay. It does take time though and often a foreigner will be quoted higher prices and must bargain a bit. The other tricky thing is how the items are sold. Usually you are able to choose which pieces of produce you want and they will weigh it and tell you the price. However, some items like strawberries aren’t available for selection but the seller will fill the bag to whatever weight you specify. If you arrive home and find some random items in your bag don’t be surprised. Often in order to make an even weight they will toss in a few extra or a different item all together to round things out. I took this picture after coming home one Thursday in September with my weekly purchases.