Oldways Culinarias are specially-designed, incredible week-long journeys that shine a spotlight on the intersection of culture and cuisine. We've just returned from Turkey, where with a group of 60, we traveled from historic Selcuk to seaside Izmir and exotic Istanbul. 

The trip was long on cultural excursions (Ephesus, Ildiri, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and a cruise on the Bosphorus) and full of equally-stellar culinary experiences (two cooking demonstrations by award-winning chef Ana Sortun of Oleana, Sarma and Sofra; dinners in a country hotel featuring a chef-sung serenade; meals under the sun in a winery and a small town courtyard; and lunch in the ever-amazing restaurant Ciya in the Kadiköy section of Istanbul). And much, much more.

In between all of these highlights, we enjoyed the company of people from the US and Turkey who love food and appreciate its place in history and its pleasure on the plate. But now, after the end of a journey like this one to Turkey, we're reflecting on its impact, beyond being a "pinch-me" vacation. At Oldways and Oleana we think about how to bring healthy, "real" eating to everyone's kitchen and table. How can the pearls of wisdom (and the tastes of Selcuk, Izmir and Istanbul) we learned and experienced in Turkey influence our everyday meals back in the US?

If you'd like to be notified as soon as we plan our next Oldways Culinaria, email Abby Sloane ([email protected]).

To bring Mediterranean-Aegean magic to your table, and to start off Mediterranean Diet Month with a Turkish flair, try one of the recipes Ana prepared in her cooking classes during the Turkey Culinaria, or take a look at the cookbooks in the Oldways Bookstore.