The mild climate and rich soil make the Aegean one of Turkey’s most fertile regions. Known for olive orchards and vineyards, the Aegean Region produces some of Turkey’s most prestigious olive oils and wines. Additionally, the Aegean is famous for an abundance of fresh produce including artichokes, grapes, pears and sweet melon.
The Aegean coastline, overlooking the Greek Islands, is dotted pristine beaches and idilic fishing villages. The Aegean Sea provides an ample supply of fresh seafood including the highly prized red mullet (barbun). With a shared cultural and culinary heritage, the local food shares many common traits with Greek cuisine. Local specialties include stuffed artichokes (enginar dolma), stuffed vine leaves (yaprak dolma) and red mullet pilaki (barbun balığı pilaki). Common in both Turkish and Greek cuisine, pilaki is a method of cooking characterized by the use of carrot, garlic, fresh herbs and tomato.