A                

1. ala:
   Literally translated meaning "speckled", ala is a common Turkish saying that translates to a mix of all the colors. 

2. Amber Wine:
   Amber wine is made from white wine grapes without immediately removing the grape skins, skin contact gives the amber color.

3. Antep:
   A city of southern Turkiye north of Aleppo, Syria. An ancient Hittite center, it was strategically important during the Crusades. The surrounding area is known for its textiles, pistachio nuts, and baklava.

4. Anise:                                                                                  Anise, also called aniseed is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to the eastern Mediterranean region of Southwest Asia. Flavor can be compared to licorice or fennel.

B                

1. Babylon:
   Babylon, the capital city of the ancient Babylonian empire, is the most famous city from ancient Mesopotamia whose ruins lie in modern-day Iraq.

2. Bahārāt:                                                                                    Bahārāt is a spice mixture or blend used in Middle Eastern cuisine that typically includes black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, coriander and paprika.

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C                ​

1. Chermoula:
   Chermoula is a pungent Moroccan herb sauce made with parsley, cilantro, garlic and spices. 

Ç                

1. Çengelköy:
   Çengelköy is a neighborhood in the Üsküdar district on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul. Çengelköy is world-famous for the small cucumbers once grown there.

D                

1. Dukkah: 
   Dukkah is an Egyptian and Middle Eastern condiment consisting of a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices. 

E                

1. Ελλάδα (Ellada):
   The ancient name of Greece.

F                

1. Freekeh: 
   Freekeh is a cereal food made from green durum wheat that is roasted and rubbed to create its flavor. It is an ancient dish derived from the Levant. 

G                 

1. Gebna Beda
   White Cheese, Estanboly, Areesh, Barameely, Double Cream, white cheese varieties are endless. Traditionally it is made from fresh cow milk in the farms, (There is evidence of cheese making in Ancient Egypt some 4000 years ago)

2. Gemlik:
   Gemlik is a city in Bursa province in Turkiye. It is located at the tip of the Gulf of Gemlik, the southeast branch of the Sea of Marmara. Gemlik was the location of the ancient Greek town of Cius. Gemlik is renowned for black olives.

3. Golden Horn: 
   The Golden Horn is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkiye. Its name comes from the color of the water when at sunset it shines with a gold color because of the reflection of the sun. 

H                

1. Hibesh Sauce:
   Hibesh is a traditional sauce from Antalya, Turkiye that can be served as mezze as well. It is made with tahini, olive oil, lemon, cumin, and pepper flakes. 

2. Halfeti:                                                                                  Black roses, which appear perfectly black to the naked eye, are said to grow only in small quantities and only in the tiny village of Halfeti, Turkey.

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I

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1. Isot:
   Isot begins as a red, sweet pepper with mild heat, which is later dried partially in the sun. It is then covered with tarps and left to ferment and oxidize under the autumn sun. When nearly blackened, the chile is left to dry in the air. The dried chile is then crushed into flakes, which are preserved by adding oil and a pinch of salt.

J

1. Julius Meinl:
   Julius Meinl, is a manufacturer and retailer of coffee products. The company is based in Vienna, Austria. Julius Meinl was the founder of a new category, selling ready roasted coffee for the first time in 1862.
   The logo depicted a dark-skinned boy with a red fez on his head, as a hint to the origin of the coffee. The design has changed significantly over the years, but the silhouette of a boy has remained its core part.

K ​

1. Knidos:
   Knidos was a Greek city of ancient Caria and part of the Dorian Hexapolis, in south-western Asia Minor, modern-day Turkiye, situated on the Datça peninsula; known as Gulf of Gökova.

L      

1. Levant:                                                                                  Derived from the french language meaning "rising sun" Historically, the countries along the eastern Mediterranean shores. 

M               

1. Mirra: 
   Mırra is a traditional type of bitter coffee prepared in the Hatay, Adana, Urfa, and Mardin provinces of Turkiye, as well as in some Arab countries like Lebanon and Syria, which is also sometimes correctly referred to as Arabic coffee because the name is derived from Arabic; mur meaning bitter. Since it is very bitter and dark, it is served in tiny cups without handles similar in size to Italian espresso cups. 

2. Medjool Dates: 
   Medjool dates are a FRESH FRUIT, That's why you'll find them in the produce section at the grocery store. Medjool dates have a rich, almost caramel-like taste and a soft, chewy texture whereas regular dates, commonly called Deglet Noor, are usually smaller and have firm flesh and a sweet, delicate flavor.

P               

1. Pişmaniye:
   Pişmaniye, in Turkish, comes from the Farsi word Pashmak meaning to be wool-like. The Turkish word pişmaniye, however, resembles the word pişman meaning regret. This is where the saying “eat pişmaniye and you will regret it once, don't eat pişmaniye and regret it a thousand times” comes from.

2. Pandora:
   In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus.

R               

1. Raki:                                                                                    A strong spirit distilled in Turkiye from grain, usually flavored with aniseed or other aromatics.

2. Ras El Hanout: 
   Literally translated as “head of shop,” the Arabic phrase ras el hanout really means “top shelf.” Legend has it this Moroccan spice blend was created by North African spice dealers who would mix together the best of what they had on offer, thus creating a heady, aromatic signature blend—sometimes 50 individual spices deep.

Q               

1. Qvevri:
   The Qvevri is an egg-shaped earthenware vessel used for making, aging, and storing wine. The name refers specifically to the large lemon-shaped terracotta pot that is buried in the ground up to its neck in order to take the benefit of the coolness.

S               

1. Seljuk Star:
   The Great Seljuk Empire or the Seljuk Empire, was a high medieval Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qiniq branch of Oghuz Turks. Each corner of the Seljuk star symbolizes a different virtue: compassion, patience, truthfulness, keeping secrets, loyalty, modesty, generosity, and gratitude. Another meaning of the octagonal star is victory.

2. Sumac:
   Sumac is a household staple in Middle Eastern countries. Sumac berries grow on the Rhus Coriaria shrub, which is typically found in high plateau areas of the Mediterranean

3. Söğülme: 
   Söğülme is a traditional dish from Urfa, Turkiye; made of roasted eggplant and spices. 

4. Süryani Şarabı(Assyrian wine):
   It is a type of wine that was produced around 5000 B.C. in Mesopotamia. Viticulture in this area, also part of the Levant, was mentioned in the “Epic of Gilgamesh” (written in 2000 B.C.) Residents of Mardin/Midyat in Turkiye still produce this wine in their homes, only for themselves.

T

1. Taboon:
   Levantine flatbread baked in a taboon or tannur clay oven. Similar to the various tandoor breads found in many parts of Asia. It is used as a base or wrap in many cuisines, and eaten with different accompaniments
    

Z

1. Za'atar:
   Za'atar is a blend of so many different flavors, textures, and fragrances; sesame, thyme, sumac, ground chickpea.

2. Zhoug(pronounced ZOOg):
   Zhoug is a spicy Middle Eastern sauce made with jalapeno peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. 

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