Turkey is even tastier, friendlier, cheaper, and richer in culture and history than its more popular neighbour, Greece. But the average Turk looks like a character the average American mother would tell her child to run from. If we were able to look beyond our visual hang-ups, we would find some of the friendliest people in the world. At the same time, Turkey is a musty archaeological attic, with dusty civilization stacked upon civilization. The more they dig, the more they learn that Turkey, not Mesopotamia is the cradle of Western Civilization.

Treat Turkey as that most quintessential of Turkish dishes, the meze, a table piled high with scrumptious treats. Throw away the menu, order a plate of everything and feast till you can’t go on. Afiyet olsun!