Today, I wanted to share a bit about our love for Turkish cuisine. As this food is not only available in Bavaria but throughout Germany and now globally, I thought I'd tell you a bit about it. I'm sure you've all heard of Döner Kebab or even tried it. Allegedly, the German version originated from the traditional preparation of meat on a rotating spit, a practice with a long history in Anatolia (Turkey). Even serving grilled meat in flatbread, known as Schisch Kebab, was a tradition, but initially prepared on a standard horizontal grill. It was later, in Kastamonu, that a cook named Hamdi is said to have grilled layered meat on a vertically standing spit, passing down his recipe through generations of apprentices.
In Germany, Döner Kebab was first offered by a men named Kadir Nurman in 1972 in Berlin. Since then, Döner adoption in Germany has increased, much like one would wish for Bitcoin adoption today. There is multiple Döner restaurants in every city and even in villages. While I think the typical Döner price reflects inflation, as when the German Mark was converted to the Euro, a Döner cost 3 Euros or 3.30 Euros with cheese, and now we're at 7 Euros or 7.50 Euros. Although it's worth noting that Döner Kebab in places like Berlin is relatively cheaper.
Döner is known as 'healthy fast food' for us, given its inclusion of vegetables. The beauty of a Döner is that you can take it in your hand and eat it on the go if you want. When it comes to the spit and meat, it's important to know that there are significant quality differences between pressed meat and layered meat, and in addition to chicken, there's also turkey and veal. However, pork is noticeably absent.
I've noticed that the German version of Döner Kebab, rooted in Turkish traditions, is becoming more well-known worldwide, with stores now even in New York and London. Definitely worth a try!