32 Comments
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Georganna Hawley's avatar

Stop with the writing about borëk! It’s cruel to dangle the mere idea of borëk in front of someone sitting in an A & W in Canmore, Alberta. The Türkish breakfasts are indeed worth every calorie and moment spent gazing at the bounty and the view. But right now I’m checking Rome to Rio to see how I quickly can get to the best borëk in downtown Fethiye!

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Antonia Malchik's avatar

Wow, Turkish breakfast has long been my favorite, but the ones I had in 1997 were not quite like that! They still felt generous to me, they they lacked all those extra spreads and cheeses and I never saw any French fries. Still, some of the best food I've ever had, maybe since I had tzatziki at every meal and keep thinking I should still do that. Never enough tzatziki.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

The French fries seem like a strange and unneeded addition!

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Gabrielle Kinney's avatar

This looks amazing! I can't eat big meals, but I'm the kind of person who would have to have at least one bite of everything on the table. That would probably fill me up and then some. I hate to think of so much food going to waste, though, and would probably come armed with takeout containers to take it home. So many meals could be had, lol!

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Michael Jensen's avatar

I don't want to admit how much we ate! 😅😅😅

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Gabrielle Kinney's avatar

😂 I'm sure it was a valiant effort.

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Linda Cardillo's avatar

Wonderful picture of the two of you over a great meal with the water as a backdrop.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Thanks! It was a lovely morning.

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Kartik Varma's avatar

Thank you for sharing your travels - I wait for your updates and love reading them. I used to love travel, and I cant in the foreseeable future as we have become care givers to my dad. Your writings help me travel vicariously. May your journeys be long, healthy and peaceful.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Thank you, Kartik! Glad you're enjoying coming along. And your father is very lucky to have you there for him. The world will be waiting when you're able to travel again!

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DenizB33's avatar

Yum! I wish I was eating all this right now! More olives and börek, fewer pancakes and fries, please! But ooh, wait, you didn't mention the jam 👀 And whether there's any local pine honey!

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Michael Jensen's avatar

No pine honey! Several jams!

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Stephen's avatar

Mostly healthy and looks delicious in a beautiful setting! Miss Istanbul and the rest of Turkey!

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Melodie Durham's avatar

So interesting. I suspect I would not be a fan, as I am not of the British Fry or the cold cuts in so many European hotel buffets. Not to mention I would be in a coma for the day if I ate that large of a breakfast. Thanks for sharing.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

The cold cuts were the one thing that went untouched! And, yes, there was a food coma!

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Laura | Sunhats and Chardonnay's avatar

I'd give it a go, just for the view!!

But seriously, food looks interesting and there is so much of it.

I wouldn't want to have that everyday though.

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Brent Hartinger's avatar

The view was the best part.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Neither would I!

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Noha Beshir's avatar

We had two kahvalti experiences in Turkey the summer we visited. The first was at a restaurant in Bursa with an outdoor patio on the mountain side, where we were a group of 16 and it was loud and fun and raucous. The food was delicious and the company and experience were delightful. The second was at a hotel in Izmir on the morning of our drive to Fethiye before we left. We were just the four of us in a room with other travelers and it felt a bit like the continental breakfast you get in North American hotels. It was mediocre by comparison, for sure. I really do think the setting and the company are what make it special, although the food can be pretty great. (Especially clotted cream lol)

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Michael Jensen's avatar

That first sounds AMAZING! Friends and family 💯 make that experience.

Alas, I've never had clotted cream and never will since I'm pretty severely lactose intolerant.

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Anna Marie's avatar

Oh, that is tragic. A Devonshire cream tea is a delight of life. However, I can’t eat eggs unless they are thoroughly cooked…no runny scrambled eggs for me. There is a place in Oxford that does a Turkish breakfast that is kind of a crossover between the traditional English and Turkish breakfast…instead of beans and mushrooms, you get Turkish sides.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Love it!

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Noha Beshir's avatar

Oh noooooooooooo!!! Please accept my condolences for your never experiencing clotted cream. Milk products upset my stomach but I make the exception when ashta (that’s the Arabic word) is around because I am obsessed 😂😂

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Every once in a while I make an exception and then I'm very very sorry!

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Jeanine Kitchel's avatar

Wow! It is like a Bon Appetite centerfold, Turkish style.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

🤣🤣🤣 Mehraba!

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R. S. Hampton's avatar

It’s the best meal of the day! We have a big breakfast like this about once a month joined by family at a restaurant in an outdoor garden. We specify what and how much we want, though, otherwise it is definitely too much. We don’t eat like this every day at home, limiting it to tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, white cheese, and fresh bread. And tea. There is always çay.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Oh, I like the idea of specifying what you want!

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Istiaq Mian's avatar

Lovely! I love the honest take. And sometimes less is more! Looking forward to a Turkish breakfast one day - have plans to go there in 2025

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Enjoy!

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DR Darke's avatar

What is it with some national breakfasts that they are famously HUGE? "Full Irish" and "Full English" breakfasts are also gigantic, as are Danish breakfasts consisting of oatmeal, granola and yoghurt, soft-boiled eggs, sausages and cheeses, and of course the world-famous "Danish" pastry with coffee.

A "Continental Breakfast", by contrast, is just fruit, pastries, and coffee or tea.

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Michael Jensen's avatar

Good question!

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