Love what you've expressed here! I would have felt the same way reading that. Calling it a missed opportunity is kind and tactful of you... haha. I love the fact that you seized the opportunity to recover that prime example of lazy journalism and actually gave readers the chance to experience the depth of culture that the original article failed to do. All with the omission/addition of one simple word. Amazing. I appreciate you!!! Ağzına ellerine sağlık
Thanks for this note! Yes, unfortunately, I do think this is a case of lazy journalism—where the writer stops short of doing the deeper work. Instead of taking the opportunity to introduce readers to the word yufka and its cultural context, they default to an easier or more familiar reference. It’s disappointing, because part of a journalist’s role, especially in food writing, is to expand readers’ understanding of the world, not to flatten it for convenience. A small explanation or even a thoughtful footnote could have gone a long way in honoring the ingredient and the people behind it.
On a side note, I am in Turkey for a few more days and have been searching for the dry base for ekmek kadayif as I would like to make vişne tatlısı when I get back to the US. Do you have any idea where I might find some? Cheers!
Unfortunately, I’m not sure where to find the best place to buy the dry base for ekmek kadayıf, but you might try reaching out to @spoon_in_my_pocket on Instagram. Her name is Banu, she lives in Istanbul and teaches gastronomy and culinary arts, so she may be able to recommend a good source!
Long overdue! I believe one of the most frustrating ways the tradition of yufka is "flattened," as you so aptly put it is that nearly all recipes requiring thin sheets of dough call for phyllo, even the savory pastries that demand a more robust dough, especially the multitudes of böreks. There is often a feeling of letdown upon biting into a spinach, or cheese, or meat pastry that has left its "casing" soggy and leaden, rather than the crispy glory of a warm börek, fresh out of the oven or frying pan. It's especially sad, considering that it's becoming easier to find so many different varieties and thicknesses in international markets. Kudos to you for covering the topic with sensitivity and deftness!
So maddening! Unfortunately, I think it all comes down to marketing power and money. The word phyllo has become the catch-all term because it’s what sells—it's recognizable, easy to pronounce, and already part of the Western culinary vocabulary. But that convenience comes at a cost. I just wish we could move beyond this oversimplified label and start giving credit where it’s due to the people and cultures who’ve been making these foods long before they were rebranded for global markets.
Yufka, a delighteful discovery on our Oldways trip in Turkey, has changed my life. I find it more forgiving than phyllo, high performing, and doesn't need to be anointed in butter (or vegan butter) either. So happy to find it at my local Middle Eastern market.
Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for reading and being here!
Love what you've expressed here! I would have felt the same way reading that. Calling it a missed opportunity is kind and tactful of you... haha. I love the fact that you seized the opportunity to recover that prime example of lazy journalism and actually gave readers the chance to experience the depth of culture that the original article failed to do. All with the omission/addition of one simple word. Amazing. I appreciate you!!! Ağzına ellerine sağlık
Thanks for this note! Yes, unfortunately, I do think this is a case of lazy journalism—where the writer stops short of doing the deeper work. Instead of taking the opportunity to introduce readers to the word yufka and its cultural context, they default to an easier or more familiar reference. It’s disappointing, because part of a journalist’s role, especially in food writing, is to expand readers’ understanding of the world, not to flatten it for convenience. A small explanation or even a thoughtful footnote could have gone a long way in honoring the ingredient and the people behind it.
On a side note, I am in Turkey for a few more days and have been searching for the dry base for ekmek kadayif as I would like to make vişne tatlısı when I get back to the US. Do you have any idea where I might find some? Cheers!
Unfortunately, I’m not sure where to find the best place to buy the dry base for ekmek kadayıf, but you might try reaching out to @spoon_in_my_pocket on Instagram. Her name is Banu, she lives in Istanbul and teaches gastronomy and culinary arts, so she may be able to recommend a good source!
Thank you so much for your suggestion. I will definitely reach out to her!
Long overdue! I believe one of the most frustrating ways the tradition of yufka is "flattened," as you so aptly put it is that nearly all recipes requiring thin sheets of dough call for phyllo, even the savory pastries that demand a more robust dough, especially the multitudes of böreks. There is often a feeling of letdown upon biting into a spinach, or cheese, or meat pastry that has left its "casing" soggy and leaden, rather than the crispy glory of a warm börek, fresh out of the oven or frying pan. It's especially sad, considering that it's becoming easier to find so many different varieties and thicknesses in international markets. Kudos to you for covering the topic with sensitivity and deftness!
So maddening! Unfortunately, I think it all comes down to marketing power and money. The word phyllo has become the catch-all term because it’s what sells—it's recognizable, easy to pronounce, and already part of the Western culinary vocabulary. But that convenience comes at a cost. I just wish we could move beyond this oversimplified label and start giving credit where it’s due to the people and cultures who’ve been making these foods long before they were rebranded for global markets.
Agreed!
Yufka, a delighteful discovery on our Oldways trip in Turkey, has changed my life. I find it more forgiving than phyllo, high performing, and doesn't need to be anointed in butter (or vegan butter) either. So happy to find it at my local Middle Eastern market.