According to reliable sources, by the end of the seventeenth century, the Topkapi Palace archives recorded that the main food items bought were sheep and grain. Also at the time, the "Bostanci Ocagi" (Bostanci: person in-charge of the land plot for farming fruit and vegetables. Ocak: regiment of the Ottoman army) guarded the Palace. This regiment was both a military force guarding the Palace as well as a group responsible for growing fruit and vegetables in the Palace grounds. "Lady's Fingers" (Okra) and "Cabbage Regiments" were established much earlier, during the reign of Mehmet I. Henceforth, the vegetables were grown in excessive quantities and this "excess" was traded under certain conditions to provide extra income for this regiment.

It was in the wake of the eighteenth century that food was appreciated for the pleasure of the palate, cooking techniques were refined and the variety of dishes ballooned. During the rapid expansion era of the Ottoman Empire, the sultans had intrinsically strong military ethics. Further, the Muslim principles did not avail opulence.

Sharing extravagance with the upper classes appeases them and affirms the supremacy of the sultan, who represents the state. But then, one enters a vicious cycle: how does one control the "ordinary", not being part of this circle of pleasure? As a matter of fact, the Tulip Period ended with a public revolt. Since the conditions of the Ottoman culture did not allow for a social "revolution" similar to those in Western countries, the Patrona Uprising replaced the sultan and those surrounding him, however similar to the other uprisings that took place before or after, it did not alter the system.

Although much attention has been given to the Ottoman history, it is not so easy to isolate a country's cuisine from its history. As far as the rich Ottoman cuisine that we know today is concerned, the most important developmental steps were taken during these chaotic years. Dishes like "tandir" (meat roasted in a large pit), "püryan" (I could not find what kind of dish was this), "kuyu kebabi" (pit kebab) had probably existed in earlier days. However, much of the fine-tuning in techniques was applied in this period and developed later.

For instance, our dishes are substantially similar to those of Greece; most of them are identical. Nationalistic sentiments aside, our dishes are generally better, although their origin is Greek. The reason for this, I believe, is that the capital of the Ottoman Empire was in Turkey. Accordingly, the care, the meticulousness, the technique is more advanced here. Naturally, this is not my judgment alone. Besides many observers - and most convincingly - the Greek citizens who migrated from Turkey, especially from Istanbul confirm this. I remember that in the restaurants and taverns managed by these people in Greece, the guarantee that "the quality of food is not lower than in Istanbul" is communicated.