Included on my list was a Sunday visit to the Kastamonu Market (Pazar) held in the Kasimpasa neighborhood close to the Golden Horn. This pazar is a foodie�s paradise � filled with all kinds of special produce and homemade goodies from the Black Sea coast of Turkey.
It took us nearly 3 years to visit this pazar!
On the weekends, we often found ourselves traveling or not willing to get our butts out of bed to find this market. You must arrive on the earlier side, say by 9 or 10 a.m., if you want to get the best goods.
And trust me, when I say it�s worthwhile to get your butt out of bed and find this special pazar!
The tomatoes seem so fresh and juicy that I could eat them like an apple. That half kilo of butter was probably just churned a few days ago.You�ll find mounds of k�y ekmegi and other village breads stuffed with spinach, other wild greens and cheese. Oh my!
Darling baskets of brown village eggs, which will be about as free-range as you can ever get!
And during the spring, you�ll find baskets and tables filled with edible, wild Turkish herbs and greens. I don�t even know what most of these greens are, but I wish I did! I did purchase a half of kilo of the alien-looking Turkish hodan(borage root), and saut�d it with garlic, onion and pul biber. From what I understand, most of these wild greens are used for filling in yummy b�rek.
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| Does anyone know what this Turkish green is? It almost looks like tiny spring bulbs. |
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| I believe this is Turkish hodan or borage root in English. |
Just perusing my photos again makes me want to be at the Kastamonu Pazari right now!
After you�ve had a feast for your eyes, buy some Turkish goodies such as cheese, olives, breads and dried fruits. Head across the street from the market to Sururi Park and have an impromptu picnic on the rocks by the waterfall. That�s exactly what we did!
Afiyet olsun!
How to get here:
The Kastamonu Pazari is set up along Toprak Tabya Sokak (off of Bahriye Cad.) in Kasimpasa. The closest bus stop is at Iplik�i Duragi, and you can try mapping out your journey here on IETT. Or simply grab a taxi from either Taksim or Karak�y. The market is only open on Sundays from 6 a.m.-4 p.m.
If you enjoyed my post, you might like these from 2 of my blogging friends in Istanbul:
Istanbul�s Very Own Black Sea Market! by Claudia of A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Inebolu Pazari: Shop in Istanbul Like a Local by Olga of Delicious Istanbul
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| Homemade Turkish jams, pekmez and pickles at the Kastamonu Pazari in Istanbul. |