Est. 2015
Istanbul · Gaziantep · Cappadocia
My Love Affair
with Turkish
Cuisine
It began with a single bite — a slow-braised lamb with pomegranate molasses served by a grandmother in a narrow Gaziantep alleyway in 2015. I was a food writer on assignment, but somewhere between that first mouthful and the third glass of çay, I realized I had stumbled into something far bigger than a magazine story. Turkey's culinary landscape is a living, breathing archive of civilizations — Byzantine, Ottoman, Seljuk, and dozens of regional folk traditions layered like baklava into something utterly extraordinary.
Over the following years I returned again and again — to the smoky kebab houses of Adana, the fishing villages of the Aegean coast, the highland meadows of Artvin where wild herbs are still gathered by hand before dawn. What gripped me most urgently were the recipes that existed nowhere in print: a saffron-scented wedding pilaf known only to three elderly women in a Cappadocian village; a fermented grape-must dessert whose method was dying with its last keeper. I began writing them down, cooking them in rented kitchens, filming them on my phone — determined that they should not disappear.
andreasmith is the culmination of that decade-long journey. Every recipe published here has been tested in home kitchens, sourced from real cooks, and adapted with respect — never dumbed down, always authentic. My mission is simple: to bring Turkey's most honest, soulful food to anyone in the world who is curious enough to look. Whether you are a seasoned cook or picking up a wooden spoon for the first time, there is a place at this table for you.
Andrea Smith
Author · Food Anthropologist · Recipe Archivist
As featured in
Saveur · Condé Nast Traveller · Food52
Our Mission & Values
Three principles guide every post, recipe, and story published on andreasmith — from the first bite of research to the last line of writing.
Authenticity
Every recipe on andreasmith begins with rigorous research — conversations with home cooks in Gaziantep, handwritten notebooks from Istanbul market vendors, and centuries-old Ottoman culinary manuscripts. We trace each dish back to its roots so that what reaches your kitchen is the real thing, not a diluted approximation. Flavor has memory, and we are committed to preserving it faithfully.
Cultural Respect
Turkish cuisine is not a monolith. It stretches from the Aegean coast to the highlands of eastern Anatolia, carrying with it the stories of Armenians, Greeks, Kurds, Laz, and dozens of other peoples who shaped its character over millennia. We approach every dish with gratitude and care, naming origins honestly, crediting the communities who created these flavors, and never flattening rich traditions into a single shallow narrative.
Accessibility
You do not need a wood-fired tandır or a grandmother's copper pan to cook Turkish food well. andreasmith translates traditional techniques into practical steps for home kitchens worldwide — substituting hard-to-find ingredients thoughtfully, explaining unfamiliar methods with patience, and scaling recipes for any household size. Good food should be within reach for everyone who is curious enough to try.
Let's Share Stories & Flavors
Whether you have a family recipe passed down through generations, a culinary tip from your grandmother's kitchen, or simply want to say hello — Andrea's door is always open. This space thrives on the warmth of shared stories.
Andrea Smith
Founder & Author — andreasmith
Address
Şehit Eray Karataş Sokak No:49
34800 Beykoz / İstanbul
Turkey
Open to Collaboration
Have a treasured family recipe from Gaziantep, a spice blend secret from Urfa, or a culinary story from Anatolia? Andrea warmly welcomes recipe contributions, reader tips, cultural food stories, and guest articles that celebrate the authentic spirit of Turkish cuisine.
No commercial inquiries please — this is a personal culinary journal built purely out of passion.
Send a Message
Share a recipe tip, a food memory, or just say hello.