There’s no better way to start the day than with a traditional Turkish breakfast! A Turkish breakfast is known for its wide selection of delicious dishes, all beautifully presented and laid out centre table for all to share. There are countless options, such as eggs, olives, preserves, cheeses, pastries, and bread, all washed down with cay, the traditional black tea served in tulip-shaped glasses.

What To Include In A Turkish Breakfast

360 Yachting are often asked to provide breakfast provisions. We can, of course, supply the bacon, sausages, and eggs for a full English breakfast, cereals, croissants, fruit, yoghurt, and muesli, but if you want to impress the guests in Türkiye, let us arrange a selection of the best local breakfast produce and rustle-up a Turkish breakfast onboard.

An authentic Turkish breakfast is more like lunch or brunch. It’s a hearty dip-and-share array of many little dishes designed to be nibbled and enjoyed together. Many Turks believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so rather than a quick bowl of cornflakes with a coffee, a full breakfast is laid on the table and grazed over with tea, giving everyone a chance to talk and set themselves up for the day. Traditional Turkish breakfasts are so popular with locals and foreigners that most towns and villages have dedicated kahvalti restaurants specialising in traditional village breakfasts. If you fancy visiting one locally, LET US KNOW. In the meantime, here’s a look at the Turkish breakfast ingredients to include if you plan to serve Turkish breakfast onboard:

Turkish Cheese

In Türkiye, cheese is a big deal, and at breakfast, the varieties of Turkish cheese are celebrated. Beyaz peynir (white or feta cheese) is a staple at the table. Türkiye has many kinds of white cheese, but at breakfast, a creamy mild or medium version is usually served and cut into forkfuls or slices to allow guests to graze from the platter. Other cheeses often include kasar peynir, referred to as yellow cheese; lor, a mild goats-milk cheese that’s a bit like cottage cheese; kasseri, a hard cheese made from sheep’s milk, long strands of civil peynir, halloumi, or little mild cheese balls that appeal to the kids.

Turkish Bread

Türkiye is known as “the breadbasket of the world” as there’s a fabulous selection available in the local bakeries. Bread is served with most meals in Türkiye, but the basket is always brimming at breakfast. Crusty wedges of normal white local ekmek are the norm, often accompanied by delicious sesame seed Turkish bagels known as simit, slices of kepekli ekmek (brown bread), or a little fresh pide bread. (See our article on the Types of Turkish Bread).

Borek

Turkish borek is an excellent option if you’re serving a Turkish breakfast or looking for a delicious traditional appetiser or snack-on-the-go. These tasty pastry parcels are a little like English pasties and are made with yufka, a thinly rolled local phyllo pastry. Borek comes in all shapes and sizes (see our borek blog), and common fillings include white cheese and herbs, mincemeat and onions, potato, or spinach. Borek is a great breakfast option, either served as part of the spread or enjoyed on its own.

Turkish Jams, Spreads and Preserves

The incredible variety of seasonal fruits available at the local Turkish markets leads to a great selection of local jams and preserves. Cherry, apricot, strawberry, and fig jams are the most common, but we can supply many other kinds of organic fruit jams to the yacht. Pekmez (molasses), tahini, and local black olive spread also appear, as do local chocolate hazelnut spreads that taste like Nutella.

Turkish Eggs

No Turkish breakfast would be complete without eggs. There are many Turkish egg dishes, but at most tables, simple fried or boiled eggs are the norm. If you want to impress, cook your fried eggs with rounds of Turkish pepperoni (sucuk) and serve hot from the pan. Turkish scrambled eggs with onion, peppers, and tomatoes (menemen) is also tasty and filling.

Tomatoes, Cucumber and Herbs

A simple selection of roughly cut tomatoes, cucumber, and parsley always appears on the table. The salad is generally dressed in olive oil and lemon and served from a central dish for all to share.

Olives

Türkiye’s warm climate is ideal for growing olives, and there’s a wide variety of olives found in Türkiye. Black and green olives and olive oil play a significant role in local and Mediterranean cuisine, so it should be no surprise that they are served at breakfast. Türkiye produces some of the best olives. Look at our article All About Turkish Olives and let us know which you would like us to deliver with your provisions.

Turkish Breakfast Drinks

If you visit a breakfast restaurant in Türkiye, a traditional double teapot of cay (black Turkish tea) will always be bubbling away in the background or brought to the table. Turks are potty about tea. It’s traditionally served in little tulip-shaped glasses and enjoyed throughout the day. Tea is the beverage of choice at breakfast, with strong, black Turkish coffee generally reserved as the caffeine hit for the following hours. Fresh fruit juices offer a cold alternative.

Order A Selection of Turkish Breakfast Ingredients With Your Provisions

360 Yachting can supply your yacht with the best in local produce. If you would like us to arrange the ingredients for a traditional Turkish breakfast or any other local or imported products, please CONTACT US.