Turkish cuisine is considered to be one of the three main cuisines of the world due to its variety of recipes and its distinctive tastes. Olive oil is one of the most frequently used ingredients. Dolma (stuffed) dishes are the queen of Turkish dishes which are olive-oil based. Vegetables such as vine leaves, green peppers, tomatoes and aubergines are stuffed with rice and spices and served cold. Green beans, leeks and artichokes cooked in olive oil are served as main od side dishes.
Cheese is a popular menu staple especially at breakfast. There are a great many regional cheeses, with white cheese and kasar being the most popular. Turkish breakfasts can be delicious or mundane, depending on the freshness and variety of the ingredients. The best breakfasts consist of warm fresh bread, creamy white cheese, butter, honey and home-made preserves, home-cured black and green olives, garden fresh sliced tomatoes and and a farm-fresh boiled egg. Tea is the traditional breakfast beverage. Other options for breakfasts are simit (a chewy doughnut-shaped sesame bread), menemen (a scrambled mixture of eggs, tomatoes and chilly peppers) or a börek (cheese or minced filled flaky pastry).
