Kapadokya Mountains

 

A fertile region between the two volcanoes - Hasan Dagi and Erciyes Dagi, lies the region of Cappadocia. Known as Cappadocia in the ancient times, at present it is informally called the Kapadokya.
There is a mention of Cappadocia as a large and important Roman province in the Bible`s New Testament. However, this Central Anatolian region has been important since Hittite times, long before the time of Jesus. 
Cappadocia is the cradle of one of the oldest civilizations of our world and the birthplace of many mysteries and legends, almost as if it is not real. Any travel lover would surely love to explore this fantastic place.

Beautiful Sand Art

Just amazing watching this video. I wish I can be able to create such a art too....

PAMUKKALE "Cotton Castle"

Turkey lies on the Anatolian peninsula, surrounded by seas on 3 sides and mountains on the other. In this setting, you can find an enormous variety of climate and natural effects. Among this variety, there are some gifts and amazing works of nature that you can`t see anywhere else in the world.

Pamukkale is the main attraction of the Aegean region of Turkey. The city is blessed with breath taking beauty formed of curious calcium deposits. . The present name of the city literally means "cotton castle" and is justly named after its exquisite limestone landscapes.

The best computer repair retail store in Knoxville TN

My little brother turned out to be best at what he does. Ever since he was a little kid he was always interested working with electronics. At the age of eight years old, with help of his uncle, he started working at a radio repair shop. As the time past by he was interested in more later he started working at  a TV shop  and there he met with  his first computer.

When he moved to USA he was only 14 years old and he found out he could not work until he was 16 years old. This is when he took his academic career serious and graduated from high school at the age of 16 years old. Without taking any breaks he continued his education and finished college with honer and 21 certifications. This is when he decided to be professional  at what he does. Here is the video is his computer store commercial on TV.

You can also visit his web site at www.computersknoxville.com

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Eastern Turkey (from abc news)

The death toll from last week's devastating earthquake in Turkey passed 600 as the official search for survivors was wound down.

With sniffer dogs replacing rescue workers in the search for bodies, authorities said 601 people were known to have died in the magnitude 7.2 quake but warned the final number was likely to be much higher.

As temperatures in eastern Turkey plunge below freezing, the biggest problem now facing survivors is a lack of tents and heating.

Rain and snow have also added to their misery and health authorities are now warning people against drinking tap water because of a fear the water supply has been contaminated with sewage.

Media reports say many survivors who have lost their homes are trying to find new accommodation only to discover greedy landlords have raised rents.

In Ercis, the town hit hardest by the quake that devastated Van province on October 23, some shops reopened on Sunday, electricity was switched back on in parts of town, and one bank's ATM started working.

But with barely any of the town's nearly 100,000 residents ready to return to their damaged homes and strong aftershocks still rattling the area, life is anything but normal.

One aftershock on Sunday morning (local time) registered at magnitude 5.3.

The government's disaster management website says more than 43,000 tents have been handed out in Van.

Officials say more are needed because people whose homes are not so badly damaged are demanding tents as they feel safer under canvas.

"Our house is in good shape but we live in a tent due to fear. We will go back once the aftershocks are gone and the government says our house is safe," Fadli Kocak, owner of a bakery in Ercis, said.

"Our people need to trust the government, too. Everybody is asking for tents. They need to be patient, if the prime minister says they are going to build a new, better Van, I am sure they will," Yalcin Mumcu, who coordinated search and rescue operations in Ercis, said.

The relief operation is politically sensitive as the south-east is where most of Turkey's Kurdish minority lives, and the army has been fighting a separatist insurgency there that has cost more than 40,000 lives since it first erupted in 1984.

After criticism in the first days of the disaster, state authorities cranked up relief operations, asking for foreign help providing tents, containers and prefabricated houses.

Dolma (Stuffed Vegetables)

Dolma is one of the most popular dishes in the current modern Turkey dating back to the Turkish Empire (Ottoman Empire) era. It is also a worldwide well-known dish. Various regions in Turkey make dolma in different ways such as using nuts and raisins in the dolma stuffing. Generally, when dolmas are made with olive oil and without meat, it is eaten cold and when dolmas are made using butter or vegetable oil and meat, it is served warm. Back home in my region, dolmas are always made with meat using olive oil. Since I do not use butter in my cooking (other than baking), I am making my mom’s dolmas with olive oil and a few other slight additions such as using pomegranate molasses as well as lemon juice. Usually, lemon juice is used.

The word ‘dolma’ comes from the Turkish word ‘dolmak’ which means ‘to be filled’ or ‘to be stuffed’. The vegetables used for dolmas are almost unlimited. One can use any vegetable that can be stuffed. Generally, the following vegetables are often used in Turkish dolmas: eggplants, zucchinis, green or red bell peppers, tomatoes and even onions.

BAKLAVA RECIPE

One of my class mate asked me for the recipe of Baklava.. This is for you:)

Syrup:

1 1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Baklava:
454 gr (1 lb) Phyllo Pastry (~20-22 sheets)
1 cup + 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cup pistachios, grounded (use a mixer but do not grind finely), the measurement is after grinding
6 tbsp cream 35%

3L (13x9x2") Pyrex casserole dish

To prepare the Baklava syrup place the water and sugar in a medium sized pot. First bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Then simmer for 15 minutes and turn the heat off. Add lemon juice and place the syrup in another bowl so that it cools down quickly.

Place the block of Phyllo sheets on the counter. Cut the sheets in half (8x12 inches) (picture). Now there are two blocks of approximately 40 sheets. After cutting in half, the size of the sheets should the same as the size of the Pyrex dish. Keep the blocks separate as half the sheets will go below the Baklava filling, and the rest above.

Brush the inside of the Pyrex dish with the butter. Then lay down 2 sheets. Spread more butters on top (picture), and then place two more sheets on top and butter again. Continue until you finish the first block of the phyllo sheets. Then brush on the cream evenly on top (picture).

Spread the pistachios on the cream evenly (picture). Then finish second block of the sheets the same way. Don't forget to brush the very top with butter.

Dip a big, sharp knife into hot water to cut the Baklava in rectangles. Cut 4 vertically and 6 horizontally to get 24 piece of Baklava. However, don't cut all the way down, only cut halfway until you reach the pistachio (picture). This will ensure only the top parts will rise when you bake it.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the Pyrex dish on the middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes. At this point turn the heat down to 325 F while the dish is still in the oven. Bake for 30 more minutes and take the Baklava out. Leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Then using the same knife, re-cut the Baklava all the way down. This part may be a little bit hard but is worth it :)

With a tablespoon pour the lukewarm syrup evenly along the cut lines. Make sure not to pour it all over, only between the lines, otherwise Baklava won't turn out well (picture).

Sprinkle some pistachios on top of each Baklava. Let it rest at least 4 hours before serving. The syrup should be completely absorbed. You don't need to refrigerate it. Cover Baklava loosely with aluminum foil.