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<\/a>Former Anatoli owner Tayfun Aras published his \u2018Anatoli Authentic Turkish Cuisine\u2019 Cookbook in 2018, containing a collection of recipes of dishes served at Anatoli, many still on the menu, and his kitchen secrets. His culinary journey From Turkey to Cape Town is penned as well. Anatoli is one of Cape Town\u2019s longest-established \u00a0restaurants, still trading on Napier Street, where it opened its doors in 1984. <\/p>\nChef Tayfun grew up in Turkey, and helped his mother with the cooking. He moved into the Slowly Tayfun changed the menu, and sourced ingredients he could not find locally from Turkey, including apricots, sumac spice, Turkish coffee, and the traditional Raki liqueur.<\/p>\n An interesting chapter introduces the spices, herbs and ingredients used in Turkish cuisine. Spices include sumac, cinnamon, cumin, cloves, and sesame seeds. Feta cheese and halloumi cheese are often used too. Herbs used include oregano, mint, garlic, parsley, and dill. Olive oil is The Mezze tray is the Starter introduction to dining at Anatoli, and any past diner nostalgically remembers the tray with a selection of small plates of Turkish and Mediterranean dishes, some served cold and some hot. In those days one could help oneself to cold \u00a0Mezzes from the tray, but now the Mezzes are prepared \u00a0by the kitchen on ordering. The 22 Mezze recipes in the book include \u00a0baby-marrow fritters (M\u00fccver), assorted olives, grilled halloumi, Hummus, stuffed vine leaves (Sarma), Baklava, Tarama fish roe spread, Tzatziki, Lentil k\u00f6fte, Ezme salata (a Main course recipes include Briami (potatoes and courgettes), stuffed aubergines, lamb shank, Dessert recipes are plentiful, and many are still served at Anatoli: Baklava, Stuffed apricots, quince dessert, A section with recipes of dishes Chef Tayfun eats at home concludes the interesting Turkish culinary journey in the Anatoli cookbook.<\/p>\n<\/a>family carpet, kelim, and souvenir shop. It was his mother\u2019s cooking, as well as experimenting with cooking himself during his university days that he \u2018fell in love with creating beautiful Turkish food<\/i>\u2019. A visit to Cape Town with his wife Louise led to a meal at Anatoli, which was repeated annually for holiday visits. In 1998 he received a call from then owners Bevan Christie and Mustafa Candan, offering him the restaurant to buy. Whilst he was still firmly settled in Turkey at that time, he had to decline, <\/a>but five years later he bought Anatoli, and so further developed the restaurant as a \u2018Turkish landmark in South Africa\u2019s Mother City\u2019, <\/i>described by Tayfun in the book as \u2018a trip to Turkey without the airfare\u2019.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n<\/a>an essential, as are phyllo pastry, yoghurt, pine nuts, chick peas, and vegetables such as aubergines and broad beans.<\/p>\n<\/a>Salad of finely chopped tomato, cucumber and onion salad), leeks, Marmaris (olives, sun-dried tomatoes, red peppers, mushrooms, and some chili), filo cigars, K\u00f6fte meatballs, and more. Flatbread has become an essential accompaniment to the Mezzes, loaves served plain, with garlic, or with Za\u2019aar.<\/p>\n<\/a>and a variety of kebabs (lamb, chicken, swordfish).<\/p>\n<\/a>and Turkish delight, which accompanies the Turkish coffee, to end the meal.<\/p>\n