Dolma or dolmathes, döner kebap or souvlaki, kurabiye or kourabiethes? Well, it depends on which side of the border you are on and if you stay on your respective side, you can focus just on eating. Turkish cuisine was on display at the heart of everything Greek! Some could view this as a risky endeavor between the passionate neighbors, but there is no doubt whatsoever there would have been some "lively" debates on the classification of the foods... And some juicy souvas to boot.
Turkish cuisine was promoted Friday in Athens as part of Turkish Cuisine Week, with a particular focus on a diverse range of specialties from southeastern Hatay province, which is recovering from the devastating twin earthquakes this year.
The annual gastronomic event is being held for the second time under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency with support from the Culture and Tourism Ministry from May 21-27.
During the event held at the premises of the Turkish Embassy in Athens, the Turkish Ambassador to Greece Çağatay Erciyes provided guests with information about the event and the uniqueness of Turkish cuisine.
Touching on the importance of cuisine for a nation, he said it is more than food, it is about culture and social interaction.
Meanwhile, further north in the Balkans in Serbia, Turkish cuisine, with a particular focus on a large variety of specialties from Hatay province, was promoted Friday in the capital Belgrade also as part of Turkish Cuisine Week.
Representatives of Serbia's leading media organizations, food bloggers and influencers took part in a dinner invitation held at the Official Residence of the Turkish Embassy.
Turkish Ambassador to Belgrade Hami Aksoy and his wife Canan Parmaksızoğlu Aksoy provided guests with information about the event.
Aksoy said, "Turkish cuisine has many common points for our peoples who have lived together for centuries."
Parmaksızoğlu Aksoy underlined that Hatay is included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for gastronomy.
"Turkish cuisine has been developed for millennia with a zero-waste philosophy, and it is sustainable with many features,'' said Parmaksızoğlu Aksoy.
Turkish Cuisine Week is celebrated simultaneously in the country and abroad every year under the auspices of the Turkish Presidency and the leadership of first lady Emine Erdoğan.