It all started when…

I had a long break between two jobs. I have just moved to Seattle and I wasn’t supposed to start my new job for another five months. Not being able to sit still, I started spending hours at an end in the kitchen. During a dinner with my brother and husband, they suggested I start posting my recipes to a blog. That is when Mint and Sumac came to fruition. I have always enjoyed cooking Turkish food, hosting dinners and sharing food with others but it never occurred to me to share my family’s and home country’s recipes publicly on a website. I believe food is a great way to share different cultures and I want to share mine with you. Turkish food has been an important part of my life. Most of my cherished memories involve making and sharing food with family. This blog is my way of inviting you to those memories and creating new ones wherever I am.

Some questions I get asked

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey and moved to New York City in 2011 to pursue a Ph.D. After getting my degree and living in NYC for 6 years, I lived in Ft. Lauderdale for a year and moved to Seattle for a great job opportunity. After 2 years in Seattle, I am back to New York with my husband Cesar. This time we plan on staying in NYC for the long term.

Where did you learn how to cook?

I didn’t really “learn” how to cook until I moved NYC but I had a strong visual memory of cooking and recipes thanks to all the hours I spent in the kitchen watching my mom cook. When I finally started cooking myself, all the images and memories in my head came together. Living in NYC also helped introduce me to lots of different tastes, cuisines and cultures which helped expand my horizons in cooking.

What is your favorite Turkish restaurant in [insert city]?

To be honest, I don’t really have that many favorite Turkish restaurants in places I’ve lived in the US. Mainly because Turkish food served in restaurants is far from home cooked Turkish food and also because I cook it at home. I used to go to Simit Sarayi in NYC whenever I craved Turkish baked goods but that is about it. For my favorite places to eat in Turkey, I might write a separate blog post one day!

Where can I find Turkish ingredients?

In New York City go to Kalustyan’s. You can find pretty much any Turkish ingredient but this place is also great for any of your spice and specialty ingredient needs. In Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area go to Deniz Halal Meat & Grocery. This shop has everything you would need for Turkish and Middle Eastern cooking. In Seattle go to Goodies Mediterranean Market. In addition to having all the ingredients, this store has amazing (and cheap) fresh feta cheese and olives and has even a butcher and fresh produce section.

Are you open to partnership opportunities?

Yes! I am always happy to collaborate with other bloggers and work with brands, restaurants and organizations I admire. If you are interested in working together, send me an email at gizem[at]mintandsumac.com

Who designed your website banners and logos?

My talented friend Marcy Day Smith designed and illustrated all of Mint and Sumac’s logos and banners.