Trip to Hatay

Kitchen Friends were in Hatay once again a few days ago. The trip to Hatay—one of Turkey’s leading cities in the field of gastronomy—was organized to provide support following the devastating earthquake of 2023 and to on the ground, the trip—organized with the contributions of association member Elif Ovalı— began with an artichoke harvest at Teofarm and a lunch featuring pairings of Antioche wines made from the region’s Barburi grapes. After the earthquake, the Friends of the Kitchen learned about the Hatay Agriculture Art, Design, and Entrepreneurship Center (HASAT)—which supports development by bringing together the fields of agriculture, art, and entrepreneurship in the aftermath of the earthquake—the Friends of the Kitchen then visited Ali Mürdün, who was honored with the Golden Spoon Award in the “Traditional Restaurant of the Year” category in 2024. The menu, prepared by Master Ali and featuring dishes found only in homes in Hatay—including sour aşı soup, zucchini borani, öcce, aşur, kaytaz börek, oruk, and spinach börek— , along with kerebiç served with soapwort cream, left a lasting impression on the palate. Organized to support local businesses and hosting numerous shops, the gastronomy market featured an evening meal at Altı Kapı—one of Antakya’s leading brands— where guests enjoyed stuffed grape leaves, hummus, olive salad, and lamb shank served with Samandağı peppers and pomegranate molasses appetizer made with Samandağı peppers and pomegranate molasses, as well as sac oruğu and firik pilaf. The künefes were provided by Künefe Yusuf Usta at Çınar altı. During their Antakya trip, the Friends of the Kitchen visited the Necmi Asfuroğlu Archaeology Museum, located within the Necmi Asfuroğlu Archaeology Museum, where they saw the world’s largest single-piece floor mosaic; they also visited the Aççana Mound on the Antakya-Reyhanlı highway for the first time. Thanks to a presentation by Excavation Director Prof. Murat Akar, , the mound contains not only the remains of the city of Alalah but also, according to tablets found during the excavation, unique findings related to olive and olive oil culture, as well as 4,300-year-old charred olive pits. During the tour of the ancient city, Hatay Provincial Director of Culture and Tourism Abdullah Dinç accompanied our group and provided explanations regarding the progress of the excavation work. The Friends of the Kitchen’s trip to Antakya concluded at Tugay Kasap, which had reopened in a different location following the earthquake, the tour continued with visits to merchants in the culture and arts market, spice shopping, and tours of the Habibi Neccar Mosque and St. Peter’s Church on Kurtuluş Street, which is currently being renovated. Members of the Friends of the Kitchen Association expressed their solidarity with the people of Antakya, local merchants, master craftsmen, and business owners, and agreed to return to Hatay soon.