miss b loves .......Istanbul markets and some interesting finds!

During our latest trip to Istanbul, at the end of May, we visited a local pazar (market) and I mentioned here that it deserved its own post......so here it is! 

Good markets fascinate me as they really reflect local life and culture. This was very much a neighbourhood market outside the city centre and we seemed to be the only tourists! We were amazed by the quantity and quality of the fresh produce .........

We've not seen garlic as fresh as this in the UK .... 

....and we just had to buy some to take home....

Stallholders offered us samples to try (which doesn't usually happen in our markets!) If only watermelon back home tasted as good as this one .....

....and this cheese actually reminded me of our own local crumbly Lancashire cheese both in appearance and taste!

There was so much choice ......the freshest herbs ......

So many varieties of olives ....... Gemlik is the most common type in Turkey, sold mainly as a breakfast olive.....

and olive oil direct from the olive farm ....

Of course we saw produce which we would rarely see in our market ....including artichokes ...

...vine leaves which are used to make the popular stuffed vine leaves dolma also known as sarma which means 'a wrapped thing'....

 ... and it's the first time I've seen mulberries too ....

and barbunya beans ... which I think we call borlotti beans!

Rose petals are used to make rose water, a popular flavouring in Turkish desserts ......

Before moving on to the non-foods section of the market we enjoyed some fresh doughnuts (lokma) lightly dusted with cinnamon ...

I was mesmerised by the huge variety of goods on sale... everything from pots and pans to ..... glittery mobile phone covers but I was drawn to a couple of stalls selling ....... clothes.

Textile production in Turkey goes way back to the Ottoman period and today they are the sixth largest supplier in the world and the second largest supplier to the EU including many of the major UK retailers.  

I spotted many well-known brands (even though part of their labels had been cut out!)current season, some hot off the production line, some very slight seconds and I very quickly snapped up an absolute bargain .... a lace top with a pretty scalloped edge.... perfect, too, except for the missing label!   

Finally, from Istanbul ..... an unusual bracelet (not from the market!!) from the boutique Herşey Aşktan which means 'All comes from love.' There's a range of jewellery and other gifts carrying their special logo and they have beautiful boxes ... mine is decorated with a hamsa.

Please click here to read more about our trips to the captivating city of Istanbul.