Citrus Season on the Aegean Coast of Turkey

It’s citrus season in southern Turkey and the entire region is overflowing with oranges, lemons and tangerines. As I walk to the local market to purchase my own, I can see trees in my neighborhood bursting with these fruits.

They are simply everywhere, in abundance, mashaAllah. 

It’s one of the reasons I was drawn to this region, as it reminds me of Sicily, the island where my grandparents came from and the region of the world that I’ve always had such an affinity for, particularly in terms of food preferences.

Coming to Turkey to experience this was a whole new level of culinary delights in that I had never realized how similar the two places would or could be – even in geographic appearance. Sometimes I feel like I’m in Italy; other times I feel like I’m in southern California. 

But, I’ve never tasted anything like the citrus here. It’s so unassuming- the people, the markets (pazars), the cuisine. It’s modest, under-stated and under-estimated in every way- in my opinion. It deserves so much more attention. And respect. 

The taste is something you have to visit to experience because these fruits truly are as sweet as candy, only the all-natural kind.

Have you ever visited southern Turkey? If yes, what has been your favorite thing about this region?