Istanbul Diaries: Turkish Raki Culture & Alcohol in Turkey

We’ve just come home from a short trip to another province of Turkey and let’s just say that I am feeling well-fed. The scale has been kind enough to let me know that in our 3-day excursion, I have managed to put on 3 kilos (6 pounds) and that alone should tell you how much we enjoyed ourselves. 

Spring in Turkey is an excellent time to travel because of the gorgeous weather and it's an especially great time to visit the Mediterranean coast, specifically Izmir on the Aegean sea (a part of the Mediterranean where the Greeks crossed to Troy). I especially love this area because of its dry heat, mountainous landscape, sea breeze, and sunny skies. I'm also not bothered by the fact that it is loaded with gorgeous vineyards where I can sip on wine and soak up the sunshine until my husband drags me away. I blame it on being near the coast but Izmir is much more laid back than Istanbul. It is also surprisingly more liberal than much of Turkey, resembling Europe more than anything and, to me, is the perfect balance between culture and openness. 

Many people are surprised to hear that there are vineyards in Turkey when I mention it. Despite the majority of the country being Muslim, there are whole villages like Sirince which are famous for their dedication to wine making and a wide variety of Turkish wines are produced throughout Turkey. Not only that, Turkey has a traditional liquor called Raki which is actually the national drink of Turkey. Raki is so deeply rooted in culture that drinking it involves a series of events that last for several hours. 

An interesting thing about Turkey is that, in general, the richer people are, the less conservative they are. I suppose this is true for many parts of the world, but it is specifically profound in Turkey. Generally, if you find a person who is very far from religion, tradition, and customs, you can assume that they are well off or come from a well off family. This is particularly true for the previous generation. In this generation, this is not always the case, but I find it to be true most of the time. There are, of course, very rich conservative families as well as liberal low-income individuals. However, I still stand by what I said. 

What is Raki?

Raki is a clear brandy made from grapes and star anise, giving it a unique and rich flavor that takes some getting used to. At 40-50% alcohol, after a glass or so, I can assure you that you’ll start to like it. My first impression of Raki was that it was drinkable, but by my second glass, my mouth was numb and all was okay. It is always cut with water and turns a pale white color as soon as water hits the glass. The water, I think, keeps you from having a raging hangover the next morning. Raki is not just about the taste, however. It is mainly about the social climate that comes with it. Other nearby nations, particularly eastern Europe also have Raki, however they are quite different in taste to Turkish Raki. In Greece they have a very similar drink called Ouzo and in Egypt they have Arak, however Turkish Raki and Arak are much stronger than Ouzo.

Social Aspects of Raki

This drink is not one that is typically drunk alone or when you are short on time. Instead, Raki is most often drunk with a group of 3 or more and, if you are invited to drink Raki, know that you will be there for a very long time. It is all about socializing, drinking and eating slowly over the course of an entire evening and it is not the type of drink you only have one of as it is usually ordered by the bottle.

Disclaimer: While on the topic of Raki and before we talk about Turkish food, it must be said that Turkey (the Ottoman Empire) occupied much of Eastern Europe, including Greece, for hundreds of years so many foods are very similar. This has caused major controversy about the origins of dishes and simply talking about a “Turkish” food can ruffle some feathers, opening a can of worms you wish you let be. One of them is whether yogurt is Turkish or Greek. Both sides have fierce claims to yogurt and it’s more heated than the pineapple on pizza debate. While the word “yogurt” comes from the Turkish language, it seems that yogurt itself may have originated in different places, but it is not something I have the energy to argue. So when I say that foods are Turkish, I am talking about the Turkish version of the food as the origins aren’t always clear.

Where to drink Raki

Near the seaside in Turkey you will almost always find “Raki Balik” restaurants which translates to Raki and fish. These restaurants are always set up the same and offer the same types of foods that are typically served during Raki night. They have lots of outdoor seating or windows/ceilings that retract so you feel like you are outside. Also, many of them do not even have menus because all of their dishes are on display in a refrigerated display cabinet that you choose from. 

Raki can also be drunk with meat, however this is done at “mangal” style restaurants where you grill the meat yourself. As you can imagine, this is also a very social process which aligns nicely with the time it takes to drink Raki. 

Mezze (cold appetizers)

Like I said, many Raki places do not even have menus and all of their foods are on display. So, once you find your table, you head to the display cabinet to choose your “mezze” or “cold starters". Mezze is an absolute must when you drink Raki and is arguably my favorite Turkish food. Sometimes we eat so much of these starters that we never get around to ordering the main course. The combination of flavors and textures is more than enough to give you a satisfying meal and I could easily eat mezze every day of my life.

There are hundreds of different kinds of mezze, each restaurant has some of the staple mezzes along with their own unique ones. Staple mezzes include my favorites shakshuka (eggplant, tomato, and pepper mix) and haydari (garlic, yogurt, mint, and olive oil) which I love to lop together because it gives off a creamy, tangy flavor that transports me into bliss. Other common mezzes include babaganoush, atom meze (spicy peppers, yogurt, garlic, olive oil), acili biber ezme (spicy peppers, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and lots of spices), along with many others. Lots of types of mezze are different types of vegetables combined with yogurt or other spices. A few different types are ordered for the table and are served with hot bread which absolutely melts in your mouth. 

In this glass cabinet are also different types of seafood offered as appetizers such as octopus, calamari, shrimp, etc. Calamari is a favorite of ours so we usually go for that along with a few mezzes and salad. In Turkey, salad is always a shared appetizer and is never eaten as a main dish. There is only one type of salad dressing: pomegranate vinaigrette & olive oil. There is also only one main type of salad: cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion. (There are other less common types available, however this is the salad that is always available and is always served at homes.)

Raki Service

At the same time, you order your bottle of Raki by size and brand which is brought to your table with an ice bucket and bottle of water. The server then fills your glass with either a single or double shot and tops it off with water and a couple of ice cubes served with little ice tongs. At this point, I enjoy looking around at the other tables to see what kinds of Raki people are drinking, how big of a bottle they ordered, etc. I also like to guess how long they have been there by how empty the bottle is and at what stage of food they are at. 

How to drink Raki

Like all things in Turkey, there is a certain way that Raki is drunk. Once the Raki is served, you are given a sizable slice of white cheese (if you order it) to be eaten while you drink. You see, there is a sequence when you drink Raki that is typically followed. First, you take a sip, then you have a bite of cheese, then you take a sip of water. Some people also drink Raki with a drink called Shalgam, but it is not exactly my taste.

This sequence of drinking Raki is a perfect example of the fine details in Turkish culture that make it so incredibly deep. Everything is done in a certain way which everyone follows and, if you do it differently, they assume you don’t know how to do it. In my opinion, their culture is so old that the art of everything has been mastered and everything is done in a certain way for a reason. So, it's not necessarily a bad thing. You know what they say: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The Main Course

How fast the next step happens depends largely on you and how quickly you decide to order. This is the part where the fish comes. What I find very interesting is that, again there is no menu so you can either go to the icebox or an ice tray full of whole, fresh fish is brought to you so you can choose. We do not always pick our fish, half of the time we trust the server to do a good job. Instead of bringing separate fish for each person, the server brings a fish according to the number of people at the table and sets the entire thing in the middle. Grilled sea bass is the most common and is served whole from head to tail and is adorned with greens and lemon wedges. Sauce is not really a thing in Turkey so fish is typically dressed with lemon juice and salt. 

Turkish Concept of Sharing 

You might be able to tell at this point that Turkish people like sharing their food. When you go to restaurants, it is uncommon for each person to order a separate meal unless it's fast food or a European style place. In general, everything is ordered and put in the middle for everyone to eat. What is interesting to me is that there is no issue with sharing and even when you go to a place where separate dishes are ordered, other people will always offer you their food. I have never once seen a person have an issue sharing food and I have never been with others who have not offered for me to try their food if it’s different from mine. These days I see videos online of western couples getting angry when their partner wants their food or partners who only order takeout for themselves and it has become extremely bizarre to me. In Turkey food is a way of showing love so if you refuse to share, it sends a strong message that you do not care about the other person. In a relationship, the other person wants you to enjoy whatever you’re eating so they are happy to give you whatever they have.

Fruit Plates

Following the fish, there is some down time for digestion and more conversation. If you thought we were finished, we are not. At this point, it is very common for Turkish restaurants to offer something for the table, which is typically fruit or dessert depending on the place. At Raki balik restaurants, if you spend a good amount of money, they are very likely to bring a plate of mixed fruit for the table or you can order it yourself. Watermelon and honeydew melons are very popular fruits to pair with Raki so you will often see whole wedges of melons on tables at Raki Balik restaurants. On top of that, they give you whatever is in season at the time which can be anything like apples, strawberries, bananas, and oranges. 

By the time the fruit has come, you have probably been drinking for around 3 hours, but we’re not finished yet because the conversation is still going strong and you now have a glass of tea in front of you. (As strange as it may sound, Turks always drink tea when out drinking.) When my husband and I go out for Raki, we can easily spend 4-5 hours at the restaurant and it's just the two of us. 

Time Frame

As you can imagine, more people means the evening carries on for longer. My sister had the pleasure of going out to Raki night with her husband (also Turkish) and his friends on her last visit. I wasn’t there for it but she texted me telling me that they had been at the restaurant for around 7 hours and drinks/food were still coming. Just when she thought they were about to leave, more drinks came. I remember my reaction at my first Raki night when two extra rounds of food came after I was already about rolling out the door. 

Every foreigner's reaction is the same.  When the first additional round comes, their eyes get wide and they ask “WHAT???”. When the second one comes, they are taken aback and say “...No way..”. Meanwhile the Turks in the background tell you not to worry and to eat “slowly slowly.”

Other side dishes

After the fruit, more fruit might be ordered or other side items like iced walnuts or almonds. Sometimes there is a man who walks around with almonds and walnuts on ice for people to buy separately. They even serve cubes of ice with the nuts to keep them cold. Have you ever had a chilled walnut? It's delightful and I even do this at my home sometimes.

This is the part of the evening where the conversation gets deeper. You’ve been drinking for several hours at this point and you feel marvelously at peace having eaten an abundance of delicious food in the company of friends. Everything slows down at this point. Everyone leans back in their chairs with contentment on their faces, enjoying the background music and outdoor weather. 

Dessert

We still have one last step and that is dessert. Not everyone has dessert, but we typically do and if fruit wasn’t offered by the restaurant, many times they will offer you some form of dessert. The types of dessert vary, but it could range from homestyle desserts like irmik (sweet grain like dessert) to more complex things such as sutlac (rice pudding) or katmer (pistachio cream pastry). 

When all is said and done, it is up to the people at the table to call it a night or they are forced to once the restaurant closes. This usually happens around 12-1am. It may sound early, but people get there around 6, so it is a lot of time to spend drinking. 

Final Thoughts

I have to say that it took some time for me to truly appreciate Raki night and all that comes with it. I enjoyed it of course, but now it is something that I cherish and truly look forward to. The long hours and endless conversation under the clear night sky is such an incredible way to spend time with others and I highly recommend trying it out. In the past I enjoyed spending time in loud bars so I could dance, but Raki night has shown me the beauty of conversation over a great meal with friends and has caused me to prefer sitting down to talk over going out to louder events.