In recent years, mass tourism has grown by leaps and bounds in Antalya, but sadly (maybe thankfully?) few know about the region’s cultural diversity and natural riches. The cuisine also has a lot to offer, including global trends into a tasty fusion. Sourdough products, too!
In September 2023, I revisited the region with two friends, Ezgi and Michaela. We used Ezgi’s parents’ apartment in Antalya as our base to explore and hike along sections of the Lycian Way—to the Gelidonya Lighthouse, Cennet Koyu, and Göynük Canyon. Of course, we also made time to enjoy the crystal-clear water at the beach.
I had my own very special interest: learning more about the sourdough scene in Turkey, and especially in Antalya. I’d been following some artisanal bakers from Turkey on Instagram for some years, who inspired me to meet other bakers and learn their stories.
In Ankara in 2022, I visited the large and busy sourdough bakery and café, Ekşi Maya which impressed me with its variety of bread and dishes. Locals obviously appreciate its healthy approach.
I’d showed up with no notice and had limited time, so I couldn’t chat with the owner or staff. However, I did have lunch and coffee there before heading to the train station to take the Eastern Express (Doğu Ekspresi) to Kars on the Turkish-Armenian border.
The sourdough highlight of the trip was Diyarbakır! On my first day, I went to “Diyarbakır Ekmek Fırını” bakery with no big expectations. What a surprise! Irem’s lovely team received me warmly, and although they were busy, they showed me the place and their products and let me try them. We also had a nice chat in Turkish. (They were impressed that I could speak!)
A passionate baker, Irem had started her business after she realized that working in a bank was not for her. Smart decision! I was inspired listening to her story and mission to popularize sourdough. She said that people trying her bread often report that the taste is “unfamiliar.” The preponderance of industrial yeast has made people forget the taste of real bread. Because they’re reluctant to try anything different, Irem has a hard time making sourdough popular and must support her mission by baking pastries with commercial yeast. Hopefully, this will change in the future!
Before setting off for my next destination, I realized that I was missing good sourdough bread. But a whole loaf was just too big to fit in my backpack. Irem insisted on offering me some slices. The next morning I smuggled her bread into the hotel breakfast room and savored every bite!
If I hadn’t had to leave for the beautiful city of Mardin, I would gladly have spent some time in the bakery improving my skills! Just before leaving, I returned once again to the bakery where I bought pastries for the trip. After exchanging Instas I said goodbye to Irem and her team. I hope that one day I’ll be able to bake with them!
This year in Antalya, it was easy to make Ezgi and Michaela enthusiastic about trying artisanal sourdough products. So we went for breakfast at Ekşi Co. Another career changer, in 2019, its owner Ayşe left her job as a hospital nurse to open a sourdough bakery.
At first, she only baked to order, but after two years, she decided to open a café and diversify. Suddenly she had a team to manage. But the change paid off. Ayşe’s café is visited by both locals and visitors, even though it’s not in the middle of a tourist hotspot. Instagram plays an important role: that’s how I found her!
Ayşe told me about her special relation to sourdough: she made the starter and nurtures it as if it were her own child. She even has difficulty leaving it to others. That’s why she’s in the bakery every single day: overseeing the fragrant breads and pastries coming out of the oven, only leaving after the next day’s dough is ready.
Ayşe also seems to not like to compromise. All her breads and pastries are prepared with sourdough! Some bakeries advertise sourdough products but a closer look reveals that just one or two are made of sourdough. Respect, Ayşe!
The taste and appearance of her products reflect her dedication. At breakfast, we tried different types of bread and focaccia, olives, and traditional dips. We couldn’t resist also trying “açma” (bread rings) with eggplant and cheese fillings, and bought dried tomato, olive, and rosemary bread that we devoured on our hikes!
So, if you are traveling in Turkey and want to try some good sourdough bread, do a little research on Instagram or Google and you might just find interesting artisanal bakeries with high-quality products. Contact me for recommendations!