Turkish cuisine is the cuisine of Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. The cuisine took its current form after numerous cultural interactions throughout centuries, descending from earlier stages of Turkish cuisine, Ottoman cuisine and Seljuk cuisine. Turkish cuisine with traditional Turkic elements such as yogurt, ayran, kaymak, exerts and gains influences to and from Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Eastern European cuisines.
Escalivada, also sometimes transcribed in French as 'escalibade' and in Spanish as escalibada, is a traditional dish from Roussillon, Catalonia, València, Murcia and Aragón of smoky grilled vegetables. It typically consists of roasted eggplant and bell peppers with olive oil and sometimes onion, tomato, minced garlic, and salt.
Meze is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in eastern Mediterranean cuisines: Syria, Iraq, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Armenia. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A meze may be served as a part of a multi-course meal or form a meal in itself. Meze are often served with spirits such as arak, rakia, raki, oghi, ouzo, or grappa at meyhane and ouzeri or at regular restaurants.
Romanian cuisine is a diverse blend of different dishes from several traditions with which it has come into contact, but it also maintains its own character. It has been influenced mainly by Turkish but also a series of European cuisines in particular from the Balkan Peninsula and Hungarian cuisine as well as culinary elements stemming from the cuisines of Central Europe.
Bulgarian cuisine is part of the cuisine of Eastern Europe, sharing characteristics with other Balkan cuisines. Bulgarian cooking traditions are diverse because of geographical factors such as climatic conditions suitable for a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruit. Aside from the variety of local Bulgarian dishes, Bulgarian cuisine shares a number of dishes with its neighboring countries, in particular with Turkish and Greek cuisine.
Zacuscă is a vegetable spread popular in Romania and Moldova which originated from Romania, Ialomita, Slobozia. Similar spreads are found in other countries in the Balkan region, and bordering regions.
Lyutenitsa, ljutenica, lütenitsa or lutenica ; meaning "spicy", is a vegetable relish or chutney in Bulgarian, Macedonian, Serbian and Turkish cuisines.
Pindjur or pinjur or pinđur, is a relish form and is commonly used as a summer spread. Pindjur is commonly prepared in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia and North Macedonia.
Montenegrin cuisine is a result of Montenegro's geographic position and its long history and tradition.
Macedonian cuisine is the traditional cuisine of North Macedonia. It is influenced by Ottoman and Balkan cuisines. The relatively warm climate of the country provides excellent growth conditions for a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits. Macedonian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of its dairy products, wines, and local alcoholic beverages, such as rakija. Tavče gravče and mastika are considered the national dish and drink of North Macedonia.
Bosnian cuisine is the traditional cuisine of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is influenced by Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Balkan cuisines.
Stuffed peppers is a dish common in many cuisines. It consists of hollowed or halved bell peppers filled with any of a variety of fillings, often including meat, vegetables, cheese, rice, or sauce. The dish is usually assembled by filling the cavities of the peppers and then cooking.
The cuisine of Kosovo is a representative of the cuisine of the Balkans and consists of traditional dishes by ethnic groups native to Kosovo. Due to Albanians being the main ethnic group in Kosovo, it is mainly an expression of Albanian cuisine, also adopting some elements of other Balkan countries.
Many cuisines feature eggplant salads and appetizers.
Kyopolou is a popular Bulgarian and Turkish spread, relish and salad made principally from roasted eggplants and garlic.
Torshi are the pickled vegetables of many Middle Eastern, Iranian, Slavic and Balkan cuisines.
Balkan cuisine is a type of regional cuisine that combines characteristics of European cuisine with some of those from West Asia. It is found in the Balkan Peninsula of Southeast Europe, a region without clear boundaries but which is generally considered to at least include the modern countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Romania and Greece and the former Yugoslavia, with the possible exception of Slovenia and northern inland regions of Croatia.
