The “From Farm to Table” Edirne Gastronomy Festival, organized by the Edirne Governorship, took place with high attendance at the historic train station in Karaağaç of Edirne town. Throughout the event, expert chefs presented participants with recipes for 101 dishes on the verge of being forgotten, as well as special flavors inherited from Ottoman palace cuisine.
The chefs demonstrated traditional and regional dishes in mobile kitchens, explaining their preparation methods to visitors. With around 100 stands set up, the festival showcased the culinary and cultural richness of Edirne.
“PREPARATION OF 100 DISHES RECORDED ON VIDEO”
Local specialties such as “almond paste, deva-i misk halva, and Karaağaç hot peppers” attracted significant attention, with long lines forming at the stands where these items were displayed. Chef İsmail Ergin, who noted the success of this inaugural festival, shared that nearly 100 dishes were recorded on video by a team of 56 chefs, and they planned to compile these recipes in a book. Ergin expressed hopes to expand the festival in the coming years to continue providing visitors with an enjoyable experience.
Alongside the food presentations, Edirne’s traditional handicrafts also drew interest. Workshops offered live demonstrations of crafts like Edirnekari and calligraphy. Ferda Erdoğan, President of Edirne City Council’s Women’s Assembly, highlighted the participation of women entrepreneurs displaying handmade products and noted that this diversity added vibrancy to the festival. She emphasized the importance of this festival, which is rich in Edirne’s local foods and crafts, for the city.
Confectioner Arif Meriç, who presented Ottoman palace desserts, reported that visitors particularly enjoyed deva-i misk halva, kavala cookies, and kallavi.
WHAT DID VISITORS SAY?
Hasan Bıçkın, a visitor from Istanbul, said that the opportunity to taste so many different flavors at once was unique, noting that discovering dishes he had never tried before was one of the festival’s highlights. Gülsüm Yılmaz, who came from Kırklareli with her family, shared her joy in attending the festival and expressed hope that it would become an annual event.
This comprehensive festival, aiming to promote Edirne’s culinary wealth and cultural heritage to a wider audience, was met with great enthusiasm and appreciation from attendees.
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